THE WATERCOOLER
QUESTION: With four home runs in his last seven games and his batting average up to .283, is it safe to assume that Colby Rasmus has now earned the job as the Cardinals’ EVERYDAY centerfielder?
DERRICK GOOLD
If he hasn’t already, it cannot be long before he does. At the least, Rasmus is an everyday outfielder and has been for some time. The rookie has thrived in the No. 2 spot, batting .292 there with a .506 slugging percentage. Seven of his 11 home runs have been hit from the spot ahead of Albert Pujols. And that’s where Tony La Russa has wanted him to excel. A few weeks ago, La Russa was in his office discussing his lineup and the notion of having Rasmus bat cleanup: “You know I like him a lot in the two spot.” The two-spot for the Cardinals just may be the best spot in baseball to hit. La Russa’s checklist to hit that spot includes a lot of the assets Rasmus has shown. Rasmus has the speed to score from first on a Pujols’ extra base hit and he has the strike-zone feel and aggressiveness to pounce on the strikes he’s going to see ahead of the MVP. That has been keenly obvious since his return from the hernia and as he’s surpassed 200 major-league at-bats. It seems obvious the best bat the Cardinals have for the best spot to bat in baseball is Rasmus. That makes him an everday player.
RICK HUMMEL
No question, although that doesn’t mean that manager La Russa won’t sit Rasmus against a particularly tough lefthander once in a while. But Rick Ankiel will be the regular left fielder or in a platoon in left.
JEFF GORDON
Absolutely. Rick Ankiel is lost at the plate. Ankiel showed some signs of life back in April, but his months-long funk is turning him into a pine-time player. Rasmus is a natural in center field. He isn’t as flashy as Ankiel, but he is more sound defensively. And right now he is the team’s second-best offensive player, behind only Albert. He will be in center field for a long, long time. What happens to Ankiel is anybody’s guess.
GERRY FRALEY
By easing Rasmus into the lineup, Cardinals manager Tony La Russa played it just right. That allowed Rasmus to find his footing in the majors without any added pressure. Rasmus is now free to take off, which appears to have been La Russa’s plan all along. Rasmus can hit less than .283 and still be the everyday center fielder because he is clearly the club’s best defensive player at the position.
KEVIN WHEELER (Host of “Sports Open Line” on KMOX)
Absolutely. In addition to being the hottest of the Cardinals four regular outfielders at the plate, Colby also happens to be the best defendsive center fielder on the team. That combination should be enough to get him “everyday” at-bats, regardless of whether the opposing starter is right- or left-handed. The key thing to remember is that Colby is also at the stage of his career where significant improvement can come simply from getting reps. The more he faces lefties, the better he’ll get at it. In contrast, guys like Ankiel and Duncan essentially “are what they are” at this stage of their careers. If they’re not hitting lefties yet, they probably aren’t going to. Rasmus has the ability to be an impact player now and in the future and impact players don’t sit because the other team’s starter throws with the wrong hand.