JUPITER, Fla. — The Cardinals got a jump on their outfield by declaring starters going back, way back to December as an example of their commitment to a better defense through “consistency.”
They didn’t make it to April before a snag became a significant challenge to that pledge.
Injuries to two of the Cardinals’ announced starters, left fielder Lars Nootbaar and center fielder Tommy Edman, make them uncertain for opening day. Their absences force the Cardinals to consider other trios in the outfield and whether they must give a little on defense to get more on offense or yield on offense to assure they have the outfield covered, as planned.
“Yes, we’re trying to figure out combinations of guys and what makes the most sense where you’re giving yourself a shot offensively, but you feel really good about making plays,” manager Oliver Marmol said. “You’ve got a rotation that pitches to contact. You’ve got more swing and miss in the (bullpen). We’ve got to defend the baseball.”
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The past two days Marmol and his staff have been discussing internally different personnel choices and arrangements in the outfield.
Second-year standout Jordan Walker is riveted at right field — if healthy, he will be the starter there opening day, March 28, at Dodger Stadium. Beside him, the Cardinals could shift to favoring offense, which would elevate Alec Burleson to starter, or they could lean into the defense, opening an avenue for speedy prospect Victor Scott II and his minor-league Gold Glove-winning play in center field to be central to a good-hands approach. Other alternatives include moving Gold Glove-winning utility fielder Brendan Donovan to left field and counting, as they’ve indicated often, on Dylan Carlson in center.
All of the permutations under consideration will be workshopped in coming games with an eye on clarity in center within a week.
Donovan is set to start at third base Monday and when the Cardinals return from a two-day trip to Fort Myers, Florida, Donovan will see innings in left. Choices will be revealed, but their challenge already is clear. They give a little glove to get more bat or commit to the glove and count on the hits coming elsewhere.
Sunday’s move
The Cardinals got a glimpse of the tradeoffs Sunday in an eventful 12-8 victory against the Marlins at Roger Dean Stadium.
Scott started in center, flanked by Burleson and Walker. The players known for their bats produced as Burleson went two for two, second baseman Nolan Gorman reached base four times and Walker singled in his first at-bat. Walker also misplayed a fly ball in right field for a three-base error, his first error of spring training. Gorman made two slick plays at second base — one a dive on a grounder headed for no man’s land behind second and the other a double play he turned on his own. Burleson has had few tests in left this spring.
He’ll be getting plenty of innings now to find them.
“My bat is going to get me in the lineup, but my defense is going to keep me in the lineup,” Burleson said after reaching base in all three of his plate appearances Sunday, stealing a base, and scoring. “There is definitely a difference. Obviously, you have guys whose defense is going to get them in the lineup and you have guys who are strictly their bat. For me, I want to be an everyday guy. I want to play every day. I want to contribute every day. And I think making myself (into a better fielder) and getting the trust of the coaching staff so they know that I’m going to get out there every day be able to hold my own.”
While pitching took the brunt of the criticism last season and got most of the attention this offseason, the Cardinals trace some of their issues in 2023 to a rickety defense, particularly in the outfield.
Out there plays not made became extra bases taken, rallies prolonged.
According to Sports Info Solutions, the Cardinals were a combined minus-19 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) in the outfield and minus-11 alone in left field. The Cardinals and the Pirates were the only teams to have a minus-DRS score at all three outfield positions. In his rookie season in the majors and only his second season in the outfield, Walker was a minus-16 DRS in the outfield. A novice in the outfield as well, Burleson was a minus-4 DRS.
Last week, Marmol mentioned how improvement for Walker in the outfield is going to be measured in years, not this March. He’s made strides. On Sunday, he did not make them as aggressively and got caught “drifting,” his manager said. The preferred route would have been to chase hard to the likely spot of the ball and adjust the wind as necessary.
“When you look at Jordan, it’s about continuing to make routine plays and get confident with his jumps and his first start and the direction more than anything,” Marmol said. “Once you start to do that and you have confidence you tend to have a better bead on the ball, make some great plays, and that leads to more confidence. Reps matter. It’s harder when your reps are at the highest level.”
For Burleson, the improvement was more straight line.
“Speed,” Marmol said. “You have to get to more baseballs, and he took that serious.”
Still learning
Burleson shed weight and worked on his running. He feels the difference mostly when taking fly ball during batting practice and how quickly he’s tracking them.
Like Walker, Burleson remains relatively new to the outfield. Both were corner infielders as amateurs and moved to the outfield either to increase their versatility or, in Walker’s case, the team evaluators’ belief that a corner outfield spot will ultimately be his best position. It’s possible the Cardinals, after tightening their grip on defense this winter, open with two relatively inexperienced outfielders in the corners at wide-open ballparks, Dodger Stadium and Petco Park.
The Cardinals had three outfielders who were plus-defenders according to DRS last season: Nootbaar (plus-3), Edman (plus-3), and Carlson (plus-1).
The Cardinals felt that to improve their pitching they had to add from the outside, and to properly support that pitching they had to play better defense in the outfield. Those moves had to go hand in glove to work. That was why they took the unusually fast first step to name, left to right, Nootbaar, Edman, and Walker as their starters. They wanted to make the continuity clear. The Cardinals doubled-down on that in camp by signing veteran shortstop Brandon Crawford so that Edman could “focus on being the center fielder.”
The Cardinals believe he can win a Gold Glove award at the position, they’re just no longer sure when he’ll be healthy enough for the field. Twice in the past week Edman’s recovery from wrist surgery has been stalled and he’s considered “doubtful” for opening day. Marmol said it’s important the team “figures out what short-term means” when it comes to Edman’s projected availability.
Nootbaar fractured two ribs making a catch against the outfield wall, and the Cardinals hope to know more about his recovery within 10 days.
That is also about the timetable on their outfield arrangements.
They already cannot start with the consistency they wanted.
Defense remains an emphasis, so they’ll sort for the best balance from what they have.
“I’m understanding what it takes to be a big-league outfielder, and not just where you can hide somebody in the outfield,” Burleson said. “In the big leagues, you can’t hide.”