Back To The Other Cardinals

In the month since the last post, the St. Louis Cardinals have only made one move of note, which was to sign Mark Ellis to a one year contract.

This isn't a bad idea. Ellis is a somewhat below average hitter these days (OPS+ the last three years: 68, 93, 92), but he's better than average for a second baseman. He bats righthanded, which makes him a decent platoon partner for Kolten Wong. He grades out as solidly above-average defensively at the position, so this wouldn't hamper St. Louis' defense improving moves earlier this offseason. The last two years, as a starter for the Dodgers, he's been worth 2.5 and 3.0 WAR. If it comes to pass he needs to play everyday, his track record suggests he can at least be an average second baseman overall.

The one thing that concerns me is that he's a temptation Matheny might not be able to resist. Wong is young, inexperienced at the major league level, and what experience he has isn't particularly positive. When he was called up in August, it was to allow Matt Carpenter to move back to 3rd, in the hopes that Carpenter/Wong would be more productive than Freese/Carpenter. Matheny stuck with him for about 10 days. Wong had 25 of his 62 PAs from August 16th (his first game) and August 24th (his 9th). He made 6 starts in that time. Wong played in 23 of the Cardinals' remaining 33 games after that, but collected just 37 PAs, and just 4 starts.

Granted, Wong hit absolutely horribly, but Freese was hardly setting the world on fire. Not before Wong was called up, and not after Wong was effectively benched. Wong was, at the very least, an average defensive presence, if not better, and could conceivably add some value on the basepaths. Freese couldn't manage either. If Wong is to be the franchise second baseman, as the team seems to hope, he has to learn to hit major league pitching. It's very difficult to do that without regular playing time, getting one pinch hit chance per game.

Presumably Matheny felt he had to focus on winning, and that Freese being back in the lineup was the best chance of that. Fair enough. But the Cardinals are likely expected to contend this year as well, so what worries me is if Wong struggles again out of the gates, how much of a leash does he get? How soon does Ellis start grabbing 60%, 70% or more of the at-bats, while Wong sits on the bench?

Luis Alicea had an awful 1988, when he was made the starting second baseman after the trade of Tom Herr to Minnesota. The only season by a Cardinals second baseman in my lifetime that's worse, is Adam Kennedy's 2007. Herzog did eventually send Alicea back down and hand 2nd base to Jose Oquendo - who held the job for three more years before injuries provided another chance for Alicea (and Geronimo Pena) - but he at least gave Alicea 330 PAs first. I would assume the front office would like to see Wong get some more playing time, and Matheny knows this, but I'd also imagine he's given leeway in that regard. I trust him more than I would LaRussa, and I'm glad Ellis is here to bolster the bench, and as a "just in case", but I'd really like to see Wong succeed and become the Cardinals' starting second baseman for the next decade.