amag
03-26-2002, 06:49 PM
News
3/24/2002 8:00 pm ET
Cards' Pujols to play left field
By Jared Hoffman
MLB.com
The only open position coming into Spring Training for the Cardinals was left field but it turns out the starter in 2002 will be the same player who started and ended the 2001 season in left field -- Albert Pujols.
Before Sunday's game, Manager Tony La Russa announced Pujols would be starting in left field in stead of third base and that Placido Polanco, who was expected to see action at several positions, including left field, would be the starter at third base.
While the final decision was La Russa's, it was Pujols who suggested they should leave things the same as last season.
"Talking with Albert, he's an outfielder more than (Polanco) is and Albert was uncomfortable disrupting Poly," said La Russa. "This was something we just talked about. It wasn't a big deal -- no closed door meeting or anything like that."
Polanco had never played the outfield before and didn't see his first action in left field this spring until he played the last three innings in left Saturday. Polanco started 92 games at third base last season, 29 at shortstop and 10 at second. Of Pujols' 155 starts last season, 52 were at third base and 70 were in the outfield.
La Russa stressed the move had nothing to do with Pujols' defensive play at third base this spring. "He was ahead of the game as far as his progress at third," said La Russa. "Even if he had played a Brooks Robinson third base, I don't believe he would have felt comfortable there because of Polanco. I still believe Albert Pujols is going to be a Gold Glove third baseman and that is going to be his full-time position."
Polanco said while he wasn't surprised by the decision he felt comfortable in the outfield and is willing to play where ever La Russa wants him to.
"This is where I want to be and this is where I want to win. This is a manager's decision and I'll play where ever he wants me to play."
Polanco never asked to play certain position.
La Russa says he has no doubt Polanco can play left field and that Pujols will eventually be an everyday third baseman but this move helps "max out" the Cardinals chances of winning in 2002.
La Russa said the decision wasn't necessarily difficult. "Was this is a difficult decision. I think it's like any other decision a manager has to make -- making out the lineup card, setting the rotation, -- every decision you make as a manager is what puts your club in the best position to win.
"When we made this decision in the offseason to stick Albert at third base, the one thing I didn't factor was the personal factor -- how concerned Pujols would be about Polanco. I think the best way to take care of that concern is to go this direction. It's that time of spring where you have to start to solidify what direction you're going to go. "
La Russa also said Pujols will still see action at third base this season on days where Polanco is off or filling in at shortstop or second base.
TAGUCHI COULD HAVE TO MAKE DECSION SOON
So Taguchi and Tony La Russa had a long conversation during batting practice before the Cardinals-Orioles game at Ft. Lauderdale Saturday.
La Russa said he's like to keep their conversation private but he basically let Taguchi know that if the season began today, he wouldn't be on the Cardinals' Major League roster and that means Taguchi will have to decide whether or not to accept an assignment to the minor leagues.
Taguchi, a five-time Gold Glove winner in Japan, has been impressive on defense but hasn't hit well this spring. He has only six hits and two of those have actually come after his conversation with La Russa. He is hitting only .154 and has just 17 plate appearances with the Cardinals last 14 games.
"I just told him that if we were making the decision today, because we're going to take an extra pitcher –- before we were going to take 14 position players and now we're going to take 13 –- that's going to work against him," said La Russa.
The Cardinals signed Taguchi to a three-year, $3 million contract in the offseason and placed him on the 40-man roster. Taguchi also received a $600,000 signing bonus.
If Taguchi decides to return to Japan where he was an All-Star for the Orix Blue Wave, the Cardinals would only owe him the signing bonus. If Taguchi were to accept an assignment to Class AAA Memphis, he would still receive his $1 million salary this season.
ROSTER WATCH: AL MARTIN
Al Martin has spent parts of 10 season in the majors, and but when the Cardinals get ready to make the final cuts of the spring, Martin will be hoping he's not one of them.
Martin, who played in 100 games for the Mariners last season and hit .240 with seven homers and 42 RBIs, signed a minor-league deal with the Cardinals in the offseason with the expectation he could add some depth and pop to the bench.
Martin is hitting only .114 and is hitless in his last 10 at-bats but has seen some positive things the stats sheet can't show.
"I think in my career I've really had only one good spring training in terms of stats and that was my first one, said Martin. "Obviously you want to get hits -- everybody wants that. But I think the most important thing about Spring Training is to get yourself ready to play and to start making solid contact. In my first 30 at-bats, this spring, I hit the ball hard about 20 and for me that's what's important. "
La Russa noted Martin is trying so hard that he's "trying to get five hits every four at-bats."
Martin says even for a veteran there's a tendency to put a little pressure on yourself to try an impress a new set of teammates and fans.
"I'm putting a little pressure on myself but that's natural," said Martin. "I mean I took a chance and decided to come here on a minor league contract and turned down some deals that were a bit better and would have been guaranteed, but this is where I wanted to be."
Jared Hoffman covers the Cardinals for MLB.com. This story was not subject to approval by Major League Baseball or its clubs.
3/24/2002 8:00 pm ET
Cards' Pujols to play left field
By Jared Hoffman
MLB.com
The only open position coming into Spring Training for the Cardinals was left field but it turns out the starter in 2002 will be the same player who started and ended the 2001 season in left field -- Albert Pujols.
Before Sunday's game, Manager Tony La Russa announced Pujols would be starting in left field in stead of third base and that Placido Polanco, who was expected to see action at several positions, including left field, would be the starter at third base.
While the final decision was La Russa's, it was Pujols who suggested they should leave things the same as last season.
"Talking with Albert, he's an outfielder more than (Polanco) is and Albert was uncomfortable disrupting Poly," said La Russa. "This was something we just talked about. It wasn't a big deal -- no closed door meeting or anything like that."
Polanco had never played the outfield before and didn't see his first action in left field this spring until he played the last three innings in left Saturday. Polanco started 92 games at third base last season, 29 at shortstop and 10 at second. Of Pujols' 155 starts last season, 52 were at third base and 70 were in the outfield.
La Russa stressed the move had nothing to do with Pujols' defensive play at third base this spring. "He was ahead of the game as far as his progress at third," said La Russa. "Even if he had played a Brooks Robinson third base, I don't believe he would have felt comfortable there because of Polanco. I still believe Albert Pujols is going to be a Gold Glove third baseman and that is going to be his full-time position."
Polanco said while he wasn't surprised by the decision he felt comfortable in the outfield and is willing to play where ever La Russa wants him to.
"This is where I want to be and this is where I want to win. This is a manager's decision and I'll play where ever he wants me to play."
Polanco never asked to play certain position.
La Russa says he has no doubt Polanco can play left field and that Pujols will eventually be an everyday third baseman but this move helps "max out" the Cardinals chances of winning in 2002.
La Russa said the decision wasn't necessarily difficult. "Was this is a difficult decision. I think it's like any other decision a manager has to make -- making out the lineup card, setting the rotation, -- every decision you make as a manager is what puts your club in the best position to win.
"When we made this decision in the offseason to stick Albert at third base, the one thing I didn't factor was the personal factor -- how concerned Pujols would be about Polanco. I think the best way to take care of that concern is to go this direction. It's that time of spring where you have to start to solidify what direction you're going to go. "
La Russa also said Pujols will still see action at third base this season on days where Polanco is off or filling in at shortstop or second base.
TAGUCHI COULD HAVE TO MAKE DECSION SOON
So Taguchi and Tony La Russa had a long conversation during batting practice before the Cardinals-Orioles game at Ft. Lauderdale Saturday.
La Russa said he's like to keep their conversation private but he basically let Taguchi know that if the season began today, he wouldn't be on the Cardinals' Major League roster and that means Taguchi will have to decide whether or not to accept an assignment to the minor leagues.
Taguchi, a five-time Gold Glove winner in Japan, has been impressive on defense but hasn't hit well this spring. He has only six hits and two of those have actually come after his conversation with La Russa. He is hitting only .154 and has just 17 plate appearances with the Cardinals last 14 games.
"I just told him that if we were making the decision today, because we're going to take an extra pitcher –- before we were going to take 14 position players and now we're going to take 13 –- that's going to work against him," said La Russa.
The Cardinals signed Taguchi to a three-year, $3 million contract in the offseason and placed him on the 40-man roster. Taguchi also received a $600,000 signing bonus.
If Taguchi decides to return to Japan where he was an All-Star for the Orix Blue Wave, the Cardinals would only owe him the signing bonus. If Taguchi were to accept an assignment to Class AAA Memphis, he would still receive his $1 million salary this season.
ROSTER WATCH: AL MARTIN
Al Martin has spent parts of 10 season in the majors, and but when the Cardinals get ready to make the final cuts of the spring, Martin will be hoping he's not one of them.
Martin, who played in 100 games for the Mariners last season and hit .240 with seven homers and 42 RBIs, signed a minor-league deal with the Cardinals in the offseason with the expectation he could add some depth and pop to the bench.
Martin is hitting only .114 and is hitless in his last 10 at-bats but has seen some positive things the stats sheet can't show.
"I think in my career I've really had only one good spring training in terms of stats and that was my first one, said Martin. "Obviously you want to get hits -- everybody wants that. But I think the most important thing about Spring Training is to get yourself ready to play and to start making solid contact. In my first 30 at-bats, this spring, I hit the ball hard about 20 and for me that's what's important. "
La Russa noted Martin is trying so hard that he's "trying to get five hits every four at-bats."
Martin says even for a veteran there's a tendency to put a little pressure on yourself to try an impress a new set of teammates and fans.
"I'm putting a little pressure on myself but that's natural," said Martin. "I mean I took a chance and decided to come here on a minor league contract and turned down some deals that were a bit better and would have been guaranteed, but this is where I wanted to be."
Jared Hoffman covers the Cardinals for MLB.com. This story was not subject to approval by Major League Baseball or its clubs.