Truth from STL Today?
Forget Fowler’s lackluster season statistics for a moment. Shildt gave him a fresh start, so this argument will, too.
Since the managerial switch, Fowler’s batting line reads .180/.288/.340 in 50 at-bats while starting 14 of 16 games. During that same time, Bader is slashing .320/.393/.400 in 25 at-bats while starting six games. O’Neill only has 50 major league at-bats to his name, and his line reads .280/.309/.480. With 53 games to go, which players might improve with more at-bats?
Defense and baserunning should not be overlooked. Fowler has a career-low five steals, and checks out at four runs below average in Fielding Bible’s Defensive Runs Saved in right field. Bader is the team’s best defensive outfielder. O’Neill has been impressive in small sample sizes.
O’Neill’s powerful swing became too hard to ignore at Memphis, and he’s even harder to ignore now.
Bader doesn’t have brakes.
About the only thing he tiptoes around is commenting on the case he and now O’Neill are making.
“At the end of the day, the ball doesn’t think,” Bader said. “So, if you just play the baseball, it’s going to show up.”
From a revamped bullpen to the outfield, the baseball says the Cardinals’ kids are more than all right.
Not tilting playing time in their favor suggests winning isn’t the bottom line.