ANAHEIM, Calif. — Whether penciled in for a start in the outfield, at designated hitter or occasionally at first base, Alec Burleson sees his opportunities in the Cardinals lineup as a chance to capitalize on each at-bat.
“Being in there every day, and especially when you’re feeling good, is awesome,†Burleson said on Wednesday following a two-hit effort in a 7-2 Cardinals loss to the Angels at Angel Stadium. “It’s good to know that the coaching staff trusts me to be able to put me in the lineup every day. I’m fortunate enough to have those opportunities and really grateful to take advantage of them.â€
A similar sentiment could be said for Michael Siani, who has moved into a starting center field role after beginning the year as mostly a defensive replacement and pinch runner.
“It’s great. I mean, obviously, it’s what you want. But I try not to think about it too much,†said Siani, whose start in center on Wednesday vs. the Halos was his 19th in his past 21 games played. “I try to go out there and do what I can for the team.â€
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Both opportunities may not have been expected for the two at the start of the season given the Cardinals’ expected outfield and the club’s bench construction.
After dealing Tyler O’Neill to the Red Sox last December, the Cardinals (18-25) opened spring training expecting Lars Nootbaar to start in left field, Tommy Edman in center and Jordan Walker in right. While Walker started in right field during the season opener, Nootbaar (ribs) and Edman (right wrist) began the year on the injured list. Dylan Carlson, a candidate for the fourth outfield spot at the start of spring, was set to get a run at the starting in center on opening day before going down with a shoulder injury in the second-to-last spring training game.
The string of injuries created a path for quick-rising rookie Victor Scott II to snag the starting center field job and for Siani, 24, to break camp as a bench outfielder. In the meantime, Burleson’s consistent offense and improved defense helped him secure a roster spot as corner outfield depth and as a bench bat even though the additions of veteran left-handed hitters Matt Carpenter and Brandon Crawford may have clouded the left-handed-hitting Burleson’s chances of breaking camp with ºüÀêÊÓƵ.
Following inconsistent offense through the first three weeks of the season, Scott was optioned to Triple-A Memphis, leaving Siani as the next available candidate for the center field job.
“Siani is a grinder, man,†Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said of the the 24-year-old, who ranks second among qualified MLB outfielders in outs above average and runs prevented, per Statcast. “If you get to know him, he’s kind of a tough kid from Philly. Just doesn’t scare. Put him in anywhere, and he’s going to do his thing. Personality-wise, it matches what we’ve seen as far as like, ‘Just give me a shot and I’m going to take on that shot.’â€
At the same time, the outfield openings and Carpenter’s monthlong stay on the injured list because of an oblique injury have helped Burleson appear in 36 of the first Cardinals’ 43 games.
“Burleson is going to be a guy that’s just always ready regardless of where you put him — first, right, left, DH. He’s just going to stay ready,†Marmol said of the 25-year-old, who is batting .280 with six doubles and four homers.
Include improved outfield defense as an additional area where Burleson has made leaps to keep his name in Marmol’s lineup. He provided an example of it on Wednesday while in left field.
During the third inning Wednesday against the Angels, Burleson raced toward the wall down the left field line to track down a fly ball hit into foul territory by Mickey Moniak. The 25-year-old, running out of space between him and the wall, got to the spot, leaped and reached into the crowd to make an inning-ending grab.
“This was a big point of emphasis with him this offseason was, ‘Man you’ve got to be playable out there and earn the trust to be able to play defense, and he’s done exactly that,’†Marmol said after the series-ending loss that wrapped up a 3-4 Cardinals road trip.
The leaping grab in the series finale was paired with a 2-for-4 night that included a double for Burleson. His two-hit game bookended a road trip during which he went 8 for 24 (.348) with four doubles and a go-ahead two-run home run hit off a lefty during a 7-6 win on Tuesday.
“Just sticking to my approach and trusting it,†Burleson said Wednesday night. “Not wavering from it depending on what they’re trying to do to me. Having a really good idea of what they’re wanting to do me is good for the approach, too. ... There’s a lot that goes into it, but I have a lot of confidence right now.â€
While in a bench role to begin the year, Siani had 20 plate appearances in his first 17 games of the season and collected one hit in the limited opportunities. But in 21 games (19 starts) since he started in center field on April 20 against the Brewers, Siani is batting .278 (15 for 54) and has successfully swiped four bases on five attempts. His production at the plate included a career-high eight-game hitting streak from April 30 to May 12 — a stretch during which he collected 11 hits in 23 at-bats.
He described his timing and feel at the place as “much better†compared with his start to the season. It’s a process that’s come with consistent playing time and one during which he’s displayed a glimpse of the player Cardinals coaches felt he could be.
“From a production standpoint, man, it’s been fun to watch him because he’s opened up some eyes,†Marmol said of Siani. “We could see the little things in spring training, and you could tell: Man, there’s a ballplayer in here. But what he’s done over the last month has been pretty cool to watch.â€