As usual, Derrick Goold did a fine job over on his Bird Land blog reviewing the rapidly-spinning revolving door at second base for the Cardinals during the regular season in recent years.
Since I was working on a similar piece but was beat to the punch by Derrick, I am going to take an alternate angle on the subject. My focus is second basemen tried in spring training during the last half-dozen years who crashed and burned instead of making the major league club.
I believe this is most topical, given the large quantity and unproven quality of the players competing for the newly-opened second base job.
The public contenders include Brendan Ryan, Brian Barden, Joe Thurston, Jarrett Hoffpauir and Tyler Greene, not to mention the guy getting all the ink, outfielder Skip Schumaker, who will be the most-watched player in camp as he attempts to play second base for the very first time. As if there wasn’t enough pressure on Skip before, the Monday release of Adam Kennedy just turned up the burners substantially.
I bring up the past here in an attempt to at least give pause to those who advocate the Cardinals bringing in a tired, out-of-work second baseman to compete with the younger players for the job. Recent results indicate over-30 retreads auditioned just haven’t cut it.
Following are six players tried over the last four springs, none of whom ever made it far enough to claim a spot on Goold’s long list of regular-season second basemen. Most all of these players were primarily second sackers, though all could call the position home.
One was cut by the conclusion of camp, while most toiled in Memphis for at least part of the subsequent season. Again, their common thread other than terrible spring training results (collective .169 batting average) was that none of the 2005 through 2008 players listed below reached St. Louis during the regular season.
| Spring | Player | Roster | Age | Errors | BA | ABs | Team ABs | Disposition |
| 2008 | D’Angelo Jimenez | NRI | 30 | 3 | 0.237 | 38 | 38 | Memphis |
| 2007 | Jolbert Cabrera | NRI | 34 | 4 | 0.151 | 53 | 53 | Memphis |
| 2006 | Junior Spivey | 40-man | 31 | 5 | 0.147 | 68 | 109 | Memphis |
| Deivi Cruz | 40-man | 33 | 0 | 0.146 | 41 | Released | ||
| 2005 | Mike Bell | NRI | 30 | 0 | 0.000 | 8 | 16 | Memphis |
| Wilton Guerrero | NRI | 30 | 0 | 0.125 | 8 | Memphis | ||
| 2004 | Bo Hart | 40-man | 27 | 3 | 0.206 | 68 | 68 | Memphis |
| Average | 31 | 0.169 | 57 |
In addition, I listed a seventh player, 2004 flameout Bodhi Hart. I will blame that on Goold. As he noted in one of those terrible flashbacks, that spring was a time when Hart was being encouraged to switch-hit. It was a last-straw attempt to recapture the 2003 Bo-Mania that had long since worn off.
The reality had set in that Bo wasn’t able to handle the off-speed pitch and as such, wasn’t really major league material. Still, Cardinals fans used to rooting for scrappy, underdog second basemen (Stubby Clapp, anyone?) had snapped up number 31 jerseys like hotcakes during the magical summer (for Hart, at least) of 2003.
Though it was his best chance in 2004, Hart not only did not make the club that spring, in fact he actually never made an opening day Cardinals roster in his short career. That season, he was recalled from Memphis on April 11, but by the end of the month was optioned out, never to be seen again in the majors.
Because of that, I will point out that technically, Hart should not be on this list due to his MLB swan song, those final 13 major-league at-bats in April, 2004 before he drifted off into baseball obscurity.
Still, Hart’s mention here makes sense to me in the context of observing the wasting of spring at-bats on players heading nowhere. Over the last five years, the Cardinals have burned up on the average 57 at-bats per spring on this bunch.
Here in 2009 with the especially large number of unproven players in the competition needing as many looks as possible, I hope we don’t witness the likes of another Junior Spivey (pictured) on the fields of Jupiter anytime soon. I also hope real prospects can see the bulk of the 2009 regular-season action in Memphis instead of more members of the over-30 gang soaking up time and space.
If the spring second base experiments all fail, there will still be time and opportunity at the end of camp to take corrective action if necessary. Unless a true proven MLB second baseman is brought in to St. Louis in the interim, which seems unlikely at this point based on GM John Mozeliak’s current remarks, I say, “Let the kids play”.
Somebody help me out, please. Second base is rated as the third- or fourth-most challenging, after catcher, shortstop (and sometimes centerfield). Why have the Cardinals historically acted as though anyone could play this position? From Tony Womack to the “hard cap” nonsense that sent Grudzialanek running to Kansas City to Hector Luna, Ronnie Belliard, etc., they have settled for defensively mediocre players. (Though Grudz was probably superior his one year in StL.) You have to go back to Vina to find a quality second-sacker.
RedC, how familiar are you with TLR’s background as a player?
Brian,
Yep. I know, he sucked. So this is proof that any old secondbaseman can manage, right?
I was looking for the quote, but will paraphrase it here. Last September, when TLR was asked about all the infielders playing in the outfield, his comment was that if he could do it, anyone could. I understand this situation is the reverse, but I believe it does provide some insight into his thinking.
Nice post Brian. I still think we have an agreement with Atlanta for Ankiel in exchange for a pitcher and or a 2 bagger. Atlanta isn’t really acting to fix their problems either. I’m really disappointed by how this has ended up. BD is getting more bold all the time. Mo does not hide the awkwardness that well. I will be happy to be proved wrong.
Agreed, Brian. At least the young guys have upside.
Gonna be interesting in Jupiter. Would be great if Ty Greene could cut down on his strikeouts
but I won’t be holding my breath!
Don’t see any FA second sackers that are very exciting so I agree if there aren’t any good keystoners awailable thru trade–see what the kids can do.
WestCoast–
Atlanta isn’t trading anyone for Ankiel. They don’t need a lefthanded rental; they want a righthander who’s cost-controlled. The Cardinals actually need Ankiel right now. No one knows if Rasmus will make the club, and Duncan may or may not be healthy. You can’t rely on Schumaker to drive in runs. Ankiel stays. I will even go out on a limb and say no one is traded before June unless Carpenter shows up to ST looking like the before picture of Steve Majors.
The only one in the group above who was expected to serve at 2B was Spivey. It turned out that he had a hard time bouncing back from one or more of his many injuries. Only Spivey was a disappointment, but this gave an opening to Aaron Miles, disliked by many Cards fans for years, but now seen as valuable since the Cubs wanted him.
Jimenez, Cabrera, Cruz, Bell, and Guerrero were just extras. TLR liked Hart’s defense, but knew a right swinger with little pop nor base stealing was not enough, why TLR suggested Hart learn to switch-hit. The attribute of switch-hitting gave Miles a roster slot.
P.S. We now know why Kennedy was in the OF last September. TLR was disgusted with his attitude and showcasing Adam for a trade.
Kennedy was a first round draft pick by the Cards in 1997. He was slowing down with the Angels, but a real player in his better days.
In 2000′s first round, the Cards passed on another lefty swinging college 2B, preferring Shaun Boyd. Maybe it was too soon to select another. Chase Utley ended up with the World Champ Phils.
The Cards have scrabbled at 2B because not developing enough middle infielders up the system (unless one counts Polanco and Jack Wilson both traded.) Because the position was a chronic problem, this led to the 3 year offer to Kennedy or Ronnie Belliard.
Jumbo, I agree about the Kennedy motivation, but I think many had immediately figured out why he was getting so much time in the outfield just after he was asked to be traded. There were at least $4 million reasons.
Did anyone notify all the correspondents at Russell County? One or two of them seem exasperated?
No I didn’t notice recent RC activity. What thread are they taking over with discussion of TOWNCBM?
I just meant there seemed some spirited belly-aching, this must have been last September, about Kennedy playing OF. If Kennedy was being shopped, I am not sure all the RC scribes were properly advised.
I am not going to ask the meaning of the acronym. J P Morgan said if you have to ask the price, you can’t afford it.
The Outfielder Whose Name Cannot Be Mentioned
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