TOWER GROVE — At one point this season, manager Tony La Russa approached Brendan Ryan to assure the young, live-wire infielder that some people just had it wrong. No matter what he heard or read or inferred from any comments, La Russa told Ryan he really, really did like him, 3-0 swinging and all.

Now it’s time to show him.

With shortstop Cesar Izturis on the 15-day disabled list with a sore hamstring, there is an opportunity here for the Cardinals to see, in a defined window of playing time, just what they have in Ryan. These scrappy Cardinals have played well enough — upending expectations with a stylish, fan-friendly way of play — to focus on winning now. But the message they sold in the winter still resonates — they’re are keeping an eye cocked on the future, too.

The parade of pitchers that have come through the swinging gate of the Cardinals’ bullpen has given a glimpse of that pipeline and their future roles. The future outfield is gaining clarity with each swing of Colby Rasmus’ bat. First base and catcher are set. Third base is manned in the short-term and, after the most recent draft, perhaps long-range as well. The middle infield …

Well. Um. See. There’s. Well.

That’s especially true at shortstop.

Izturis is on a one-year deal, though continued performance like he’s had and there could be talk later this season of a return engagement. (General manager John Mozeliak said he has an “open door” policy when it comes to in-season negotiations.) Free agency this coming winter could offer an alternative, as it will include Cristian Guzman, Orlando Cabrera, Alex Cora, Rafael Furcal, David Eckstein, and, if his option isn’t exercised, Edgar Renteria. 

In their minors, the Cardinals have their 2007 first-round pick,  shortstop Pete Kozma, who was a Midwest League All-Star this season but is also years away. Tyler Greene, currently in Double-A, was drafted in 2005, paid as possible future shortstop (or second baseman, depending on who you ask), and has been a riddle, as detailed in this recent Kary Booher article from The Springfield News-Leader. Otherwise the middle infielders are mostly built for utility (gifted glove Brian Barden) or second base (Jarrett Hoffpauir, Jose Martinez). On the horizon, there is one possible home-grown answer to the Cardinals immediate future at short.

They call him “Boog”.

Nicknamed after Boog Powell because he supposedly resembled the slugger in his baby pictures — or something like that — and also called “B. Rabbit” by his teammates, Ryan now has the chance to see how he does with an extended look at short. With righthander Armando Galarraga on the mound tonight for Detroit, the temptation will be to put switch-hitter Aaron Miles at short and lefty Adam Kennedy at second. Galarraga is holding righthanded hitters to a .127 average, so the move is splits sound.

But with Izturis, Ryan should get everyday billing. He’s played well enough to help win. He brings a little sizzle to what’s at stake, as columnist Bernie Miklasz advocated recently. And it gives the Cardinals a chance to get a glimpse of what he can do as a full-time, not rotating, player.

(UPDATE: Ryan is starting at shortstop tonight, vs. Galarraga.)

In Rick Hummel’s game story today, La Russa called Ryan “the star of the game”. Ryan laced three hits, his second multi-hit game is as many starts. He drove in two RBIs, giving him seven this season. He had a couple doubles Sunday at Fenway Park, giving him seven this season. And, in June, he’s hitting .351 in 37 at-bats.

Dial back a few years, as Ryan recovered from a wrist injury — one he got from aping David Eckstein’s windmill warmups in the on-deck circle — and here was the scouting report on him and his major-league future (from 2007 Baseball America Prospect Handbook; kind of quoting myself, so forgive me):

An athletic player with solid tools, Ryan was smoothing out his rough edges as a fielder and a hitter before his injury, showing a better approach at the plate. … Ryan can be unsettled at the plate, and his unbridled play in the field lads to unnecessary errors. … The Cardinals have a need for an infielder to emerge from the minors ready to play in the middle of the diamond. Ryan is headed back to Triple-A and hopes to emerge in that role by September, but if he doesn’t hit better he could end up as a utility player.  

Well, he’s emerged. He emerged before September. He emerged as more than just a utility player, and La Russa has described Ryan’s bat as the ideal No. 9 hitter. Now the Cardinals have this brief opportunity to see here if he can emerge more. It’s a million-dollar question for the Cardinals as they enter the offseason and prepare for 2009: Can Ryan be the everyday shortstop?

What has become clear is how improved he is at shortstop. “Unbridled”, while a great word (pat, pat), no longer applies. He took quickly to third base, La Russa guessed because he was “scared to make a mistake”. He’s been natural at second, where he grew up playing. He played shortstop a little looser, a little less refined.

No longer.

His play Tuesday night, scooting to the second-base side, showed off his range and his quick exchange. He’s been devoted this season to the pre-game work at his positions with Jose Oquendo, and he looks … calmer. He still has that wild streak, but it’s an asset, a willingness to reach for a play, not a hindrance in forcing the great play.

Defensive metrics are still in their infant stages, but some, mostly availably at Bill James Online, offer a glimpse of Ryan’s performance at shortstop.

According to the Plus/Minus Ryan is a plus-2 shortstop, meaning he has made two more plays than expected this season (three more on groundballs). His range ratings, according to the Web site, are:

at 2B … 2007: 4.68 … 2008: 3.90 (0 errors)

at 3B … 2007: 3.60 … 2008: 3.72

at SS … 2007: 5.28 … 2008: 4.25 (0 errors)

Numbers mean little without context, so here are some others to give a feel for what the above range ratings mean, all for the current season: Cesar Izturis has a 4.46 range; Edgar Renteria 4.39; David Eckstein 4.10; Jimmy Rollins 4.60 and the Chicago Cubs’ Ryan Theriot 4.25. The Plus/Minus tends to be a more tangible number to use, and one that can be more revealing of the player, not also the groundball-tendencies of the pitching staff he plays behind.

Ryan has played 142 innings at shortstop (67 total chances), and he has a plus-2 overall ranking, plus-3 on groundballs. His Plus/Minus is going to be off from other shortstops, however, by sheer lack of opportunity. Using Bill James Online Plus/Minus leaders at shortstop, I refigured their ”expected groundball outs” (EGO) and “made groundball outs” (MGO) by innings played and that offers a clearer comparison for the Boog.

Ryan’s Plus/Minus Rate is 0.28 EGO and 0.31 MGO, or a +0.03.

The top 10 Plus/Minus and their Rates:

1. Yunel Escobar, ATL (+20) … 196 exp., 217 made … 0.31 EGO, 0.35 MGO

2. Orlando Cabrera, CWS (+11) … 206 exp., 219 made … 0.31 EGO, 0.33 MGO

3. J.J. Hardy, MIL (+10) … 149 exp., 158 made … 0.27 EGO, 0.28 MGO

4. Troy Tulowitzki, COL (+9) … 99 exp., 107 made … 0.26 EGO, 0.29 MGO

5. Omar Vizquel, SF (+8) … 71 exp., 79 made … 0.26 EGO, 0.29 MGO

6. Erick Aybar, LAA (+7) … 119 exp., 124 made … 0.30 EGO, 0.31 MGO

7. Cristian Guzman, WSH (+5) … 194 exp., 198 made … 0.28 EGO, 0.29 MGO

8. Cesar Izturis, STL (+3) … 160 exp., 164 made … 0.32 EGO, 0.33 MGO

9. Maicer Izturis, LAA (+3) … 79 exp., 83 made … 0.27 EGO, 0.28 MGO

10. Stephen Drew, AZ (+2) … 155 exp., 155 made … 0.25 EGO, 0.25 MGO

In comparatively limited duty, Ryan ranks well with the leaders. He’s got a little more than a week to add to those innings at the position. Boog’s glove plays. Makes him a capable and useful utility player at the major-league level. He’s the best defensive choice to man the position while Izturis heals. Given that, he deserves the plate appearances to see where his bat can take him.

And to start answering a question the Cardinals don’t have to face until they see where this season takes them. But will have to eventually.

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