The other day, I noted the numerous quantities of lineup combinations St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa has deployed since taking over in 1996.
In each of the last two seasons, he has called upon 153 different ordered combinations of starting players over 162 games. In recent years, since 2001, when he used 112, the number has steadily increased. During his 13-year reign as Cardinals skipper, La Russa has averaged 136 different lineup cards each and every season.
The focus of this article is to look at the 2008 team leaders at each position in the field and in the batting order and uncover some interesting facts by asking you a dozen questions.
Challenge yourself! See how many you can answer correctly before looking at the answers. First are the questions alone, followed by the questions and answers together with the detailed tables at the end.
Starts by position
1. Which player logged the most starts at one position last season?
2. Which player started at the most different positions?
3. If you had to guess which player started most often in left field for the Cardinals last season, what would be your guess?
(3a. For extra credit, who had the most starts in left during 2006 and 2007?)
4. What position had the most different starters for the 2008 Cardinals?
5. What position had the fewest different starters last season?
6. Which position was closest to a job share, where two players’ number of starts were closest (excluding starting pitchers and DH)?
Batting order
7. What spots in La Russa’s 2008 batting order saw the most different players to start games?
8. Which players had the most starts at those spots in the order?
9. One player appeared in every one of the nine spots in the Cardinals’ batting order last season except one. Who was he?
10. Here’s an easy one. Who was the constant – the player most often in his same spot in the order?
11. Which non-pitcher who started at only one position during last season logged the most starts?
12. Who was the club’s busiest designated hitter last year in terms of starts?
Starts by position
1. Which player logged the most starts at one position last season?
It was a player who joined the Cardinals with a reputation of being often injured, third baseman Troy Glaus. Unfortunately, he is getting started off on the wrong foot in 2009 following his recent shoulder surgery.
2. Which player started at the most different positions?
Actually, there were five Cardinals players that each had starts at four different positions. Not surprisingly, four are middle infielders – Brendan Ryan, Adam Kennedy, Aaron Miles and Felipe Lopez. The latter three are now ex-Cardinals.
The fifth? Chris Duncan – with starts in left, right, first base and designated hitter.
3. If you had to guess which player started most often in left field for the Cardinals last season, what would be your guess?
If you said Skip Schumaker or Josh Phelps, you were wrong!
The surprising answer is Duncan with 40 starts in left in 2008, followed by Schumaker with 21. First baseman Phelps was clearly a ringer with just three.
3a. For extra credit, who had the most starts in left during 2006 and 2007?
Despite all his injuries, the answer is Duncan again and again. His 91 starts in 2007 and 40 the year prior paced all Cardinals left fielders (and those asked to try) those seasons.
4. What position had the most different starters for the 2008 Cardinals?
The answer is also left field, where ten different players started. Interestingly, each of the ten was given at least three games there, with a couple of infielders in the outfield, Miles and Phelps, each getting the minimum three starts.
5. What position had the fewest different starters last season?
That would be catcher with only three sharing the load – Yadier Molina (114), Jason LaRue (44) and Mark Johnson (4).
6. Which position was closest to a job share, where two players’ number of starts were closest (excluding starting pitchers and DH)?
There was a tie between second base, where Kennedy had 74 starts and Miles had 49, and centerfield, where Rick Ankiel had 84 starts followed by Schumaker at 59.
Batting order
7. What spot in La Russa’s 2008 batting order saw the most players in it to start games?
14 different players’ names were written onto the lineup card in the number two spot over the 162 games last season. Same with the number six position.
8. Which players had the most starts at those two spots in the order?
The team leader in the number two hole was Aaron Miles with just 34 starts there, indicating a most unsettled position, while Yadier Molina had the most starts batting sixth with 64.
9. One player appeared in every one of the nine spots in the Cardinals’ batting order last season except one. Who was he?
Believe it or not, now-released Kennedy started at least one game with his name in every spot on La Russa’s lineup card with the exception of cleanup. He picked up five game starts in the pitchers’ number eight spot during interleague play in the American League cities where the designated hitter was deployed.
10. Here’s an easy one. Who was the constant – the player most often in his same spot in the order?
Yes, that is Albert Pujols, who started 143 games batting third last season.
11. Which non-pitcher who started at only one position during last season logged the most starts?
If you thought that would be Albert again, you are wrong. In addition to his 140 games started at first base, Pujols was also the designated hitter three times.
The answer is a bit of a trick. Only one non-pitcher started at least one game with the 2008 Cardinals in the same place in the field every time.
That was Brian Barden, who was given only one start the entire season – period. He started at second base and batted ninth on September 12 in Pittsburgh. As an aside, had exactly one third of his nine official MLB at-bats for the season in that game.
12. Who was the club’s busiest designated hitter last year in terms of starts?
Rookie Nick Stavinoha tied with Pujols with three starts each at the non-position position.
2008 Cardinals – Starts by position
C Molina 114, LaRue 44, M Johnson 4
1B Pujols 140, Duncan 15, Glaus 3, Kennedy 2, Molina 1, Phelps 1
2B Kennedy 74, Miles 49, Lopez 20, Ryan 18, Barden 1
SS Izturis 110, Ryan 25, Miles 24, Lopez 3
3B Glaus 144, Lopez 9, Miles 5, Washington 2, Ryan 1, Izturis 1
LF Duncan 40, Schumaker 31, Barton 27, Ludwick 17, Ankiel 16, Mather 12, Stavinoha 7, Lopez 6, Miles 3, Phelps 3
CF Ankiel 84, Schumaker 59, Ludwick 10, Mather 9
RF Ludwick 106, Schumaker 30, Mather 6, Barton 6, Kennedy 6, Ryan 3, Phelps 2, Stavinoha 2, Duncan 1
P Lohse 33, Looper 33, Wellemeyer 32, Pineiro 25, Wainwright 20, Boggs 6, Thompson 6, Carpenter 3, Parisi 2, Mulder 1, Garcia 1
DH Stavinoha 3, Pujols 3, Molina 1, Kennedy 1, Duncan 1
2008 Cardinals – Batting order frequency
1 Schumaker 110, Izturis 17, Barton 15. Ryan 8, Miles 5, Kennedy 3, Mather 3, Ludwick 1
2 Miles 34, Ludwick 30, Duncan 17, Ankiel 17, Mather 15, Lopez 14. Kennedy 12, Barton 9, Glaus 5, Ryan 3, Schumaker 2, Phelps 2, Molina 1, Stavinoha 1
3 Pujols 143, Ludwick 13, Ankiel 3, Mather 1, Kennedy 1, Stavinoha 1
4 Ludwick 69, Ankiel 54, Glaus 29, Duncan 5, Lopez 5
5 Glaus 108, Ludwick 15, Ankiel 14, Molina 9, Duncan 6, Lopez 3, Stavinoha 3, Phelps 2, Kennedy 2
6 Molina 64, Duncan 27, Kennedy 17, Ankiel 10, Lopez 10, Miles 9, Ludwick 6, Glaus 5, LaRue 4, Mather 3, Stavinoha 3, Phelps 2, Washington 1, Ryan 1
7 Molina 41, LaRue 32, Kennedy 29, Miles 18, Izturis 13, Barton 8, Mather 5, Lopez 4, Duncan 3, Stavinoha 3, M Johnson 3, Ryan 2, Washington 1
8 Lohse 31, Looper 31, Wellemeyer 31, Pineiro 23, Wainwright 20, Thompson 6, Kennedy 5, Boggs 4, Carpenter 3, Parisi 2, LaRue 2, Stavinoha 1, Molina 1, Mulder 1, Garcia 1
9 Izturis 81, Ryan 33, Miles 15, Kennedy 14, Schumaker 8, LaRue 6, Lopez 2, Barton 1, Barden 1, M Johnson 1
Here’s to Chris Duncan leading the team in starts in left for the fourth consecutive season, only with about 140 or so in 2009.
Counting his 2006 numbers and first half of 2007, he played in 162 games, hit 38 home runs with a line of .291/.371/.570. Basically, he was a left-handed version of the 2008 model of Ryan Ludwick.
We could have a monstrous lineup if we can get 140+ games out of Duncan, Ankiel, Ludwick, Glaus, K. Greene and Pujols.
The Post has a feature on Duncan today. Hopefully his body will cooperate with the pounding an MLB player takes.
Allen Craig is a guy I’d like to see get a crack at second base. He’s fallen to fourth in the third base depth chart behind Glaus, Freese and Wallace, the outfield is full of talented players and first base is blocked.
His situation draws parallels to another player that was drafted out of the University of California in the middle rounds as a shortstop, moved to third base as a professional player, then settled into a likely Hall of Fame career at second base – Jeff Kent. Kent was a 20th round pick by the Blue Jays in 1989.
Can lightning strike twice?
That’s a good idea about Craig. He likely needs 500 AAA at bats to get his bat refined and ready, but nothing wrong with the idea of a big bat at 2B. Nice antidote to the memories of Cesar and Adam.
I did not like reading Chris does not want to sacrifice his style of play and become timid in LF. He needs to become prudent and play within his biological capabilities.
Jumbo, I understand the sentiment, as no one wants to see the robo-necked Duncan suffer a serious injury. I have written about that concern several times myself since last fall. On the other hand, he has been cleared to play, apparently with no restrictions.
(Making a Beau-like statement here) MLB is no place for the weak. Duncan is already a below-average outfielder. If he has to pull back, then he will be an even farther below-average defender and as such, should probably not be a major league outfielder period. The team no longer has a Gold Glove in center with the range of Jim Edmonds to try to compensate.
My take, while it may sound unfeeling to some, is that if Duncan cannot play all out, he should not be playing at all. He is simply not good enough such that a partial Duncan is adequate. If he can only play first base or designated hitter, then the Cardinals should trade him immediately or release him. Since there is apparently no such restriction, let ‘er rip, Chris! You only get one career.
The risk, if he tears the cover off the ball in spring and resurrects his trade value, is that might increase the Cardinals desire to keep a player who is low-cost and not yet approaching free agency. La Russa loves “danger” in the number two hole and if healthy and as productive as in the past, Duncan can offer that. Still, if the Cards want to trade a lefty outfielder, which I hope they do, I think Ankiel will be more appealing to trade partners even in his walk year.
What do others think about this?
Duncan should know which play mucked him up back in July 2007. This busted a gut and he got it fixed. This must have been the dominating pain.
Once the tummy was fixed, this must have revealed what he thought was just a “crick” in his neck. Actually, it was a crack and explains why he was weaker in his right arm, a neurological impedence.
Plenty of left-fielders in the history of the game have not busted their tummies or cracked their neck. Duncan can still play hard, but he should also play under control and within his capabilities. He is ungainly and an inexperienced outfielder, a vulnerable combination. He should count himself lucky if he gets this second chance and not be reckless. Play smarter, not just harder. Nobody helps the team or themselves by getting hurt. Whatever he did last time, he should try not to do it again.
Do you really think it is practical to play tentatively? Do you think the Cardinals can afford a tentative Duncan in the outfield?
To me the answer to both is “NO!”.
The problem with Duncan is that if he’s healthy, he creates a problem getting at-bats for everyone in the outfield, and particularly causes a problem with bringing Rasmus up. However, he really can’t be traded to an AL team (as he should be–to play first base, later DH) unless he’s healthy and hitting well. Conundrum. The only solutions, are, as I think LaRussa has concluded, (1) leave Colby in Memphis or (2) carry six “outfielders,” with Skip actually manning second half or more of the time. I discount trading Ankiel, though that’s another possibility.
If Skip can serve double-duty, the at-bat problem is somewhat resolved, though the lineup will still be vulnerable to lefthanded pitching even with judicious platooning. There will be a lot of pressure on Mather and Ryan to produce.
Duncan should get tutoring from skilled veteran outfielders. This does not have to be public and known. And, he needs to practice and identify his best ways of extending himself in pursuit of a ball, without cracking his neck. Other players are able to do this, so can Chris.
Baseball is a game of controlled agression. Batters need to layoff pitches out of the strikezone, yet attack pitches in their zone, for instance. Similarly Chris Duncan needs to identify his personal best ways for coping with difficult catches. He needs to figure out his own unique, individual safe operating envelope and thave the self-discipline to play within it. They play 162 games. Teams want players to keep themselves playable. Endurance and durability are virtues.
I remember seeing Kennedy penciled in to bat third. I didn’t quite shed a tear, but it was close.
Duncan worked hard and made impressive strides defensively over his 2006 World Series escapades. He will likely always appear to be clumsy in the field because he does not have a compact sportscar like body. He’s the big, beefy SUV and I think he will be close enough to league average defensively that an OPS of 900+ will more than offset.
I believe too many people still have vivid memories of the huge stage of October 2006 to accept that he is not as bad an outfielder now as he was then.
RedC, I agree with you.
DD, I am not a defensive metrics wonk, but my interpretation of this data is that Duncan is less below average than he used to be. Faint praise, but still praise. No one questions his effort though I guess his effort is what raised the concern.
Brian,
to rephrase, I think his awkwardness sometimes (emphasis on sometimes) makes him look like he’s more out of control than he really is. I think he’ll be fine.
DD, no problem. I think I understand your point. I am less convinced, however. I see Duncan being passable when going left or right, but having to go in or back on balls is when he appears most lost. Maybe he’ll get better with more reps, but he’s also had a bad run of injuries. He will be an important player to watch in spring games.