Reynolds brings Cardinals' bench a surge of power and a dash of humor
ST. LOUIS -- Mark Reynolds did not take long to show off a sense of humor with his new team. As the media kept piling into his introductory presser at the Cardinals Winter Warm-Up, Reynolds stood at the podium wondering about the fuss being made.
"Hey guys," he said with a smile. "Bench player, come on."
He better get used to the attention.
Reynolds might have been signed to a one-year, $2 million deal to be a backup, but he will be followed as closely as any regular. That's because the 31-year-old corner infielder changes the feel of the Cardinals' roster more than any bench player since, well, how about ever.
Never have the Cardinals signed a player to come off the bench who has hit at least 20 homers for seven consecutive seasons.
And never have they added the reigning single-season strikeout king to their roster.
The Cardinals have long been known as a team that doesn't strike out like most. Over the past five seasons, only the Kansas City Royals have struck out less than the Cardinals. The club record for strikeouts in a season is 167, set by Jim Edmonds in 2000.
Reynolds has piled up more K's than that in four seasons, including 223 in 2009, when he set the record. He also hit 44 homers and drove in 102 runs that year.
That's the kind of power the Cardinals have been lacking. While they didn't whiff as frequently as most teams, neither did they hit home runs like most. The Cardinals finished last in the National League with 105 homers before they turned on the power with 15 homers in nine playoff games.
In Reynolds, they have addressed what was perhaps their most glaring weakness.
"One thing we've talked about the last few years is who's the power off the bench," general manager John Mozeliak asked rhetorically. "Historically, we just haven't had a great answer for that. At the minimum, we're hoping he can do that."
If he can, they will happily tolerate the strikeouts. While the Cardinals and Reynolds talked at the Winter Warm-Up about wanting to reduce his K's, it seemed almost like lip service. At 31, Reynolds is not likely to change much. Good for the Cardinals -- they don't plan to ask for an overhaul.
"We understood what we were buying," Mozeliak said.
Manager Mike Matheny seconded the notion.
"Mark's a guy we need to capitalize on what his strengths are and not focus on the weaknesses," Matheny said. "He's got a power component that's very rare."
Said Reynolds, after admitting he doesn't worry about the strikeouts like he did in his early years: "Obviously, I would like to not strike out as much. Not too many guys have seven years with 20 homers, so I'm doing something right. I still have a job."
A scout who has watched Reynolds since he broke in with the Diamondbacks in 2008 doesn't see a change in approach coming, either.
"He swings in a zone and hopes the ball comes to that spot," the scout said. "If the ball finds the bat, he can hit it out of any ballpark in any direction. His power is that exceptional. But he doesn't make many adjustments and because his swing doesn't change much, he can be very streaky. He might strike out eight times in a row, but when he connects, good things can happen."
Apparently, he hasn't been connecting enough in recent seasons. For the Brewers last season, Reynolds hit a career-low .196 with a strikeout rate of one every 3.55 plate appearances. When Milwaukee acquired first baseman Adam Lind early in the offseason, Reynolds' time with the team was over. The Cardinals will be Reynolds' fifth team in the past four years, but this marks the first time he has accepted a part-time role. He says he had other opportunities that likely would have meant more playing time, but he wanted to hook on with a contender.
"It was the right situation. The Cardinals are a team I've respected for a long time," Reynolds said. "After I got off the phone with Mike (Matheny), it was a no-brainer for me to come here. We share a lot of the same beliefs and I know a bunch of guys on the team. It was almost too good to be true. I'm willing to accept that for what this."
To a degree, he was willing to take a bench job. He hopes to "make it tough on Mike to keep me on the bench," and if Matt Adams scuffles, Reynolds will be next in line. The right-handed-hitting Reynolds also could end up in a platoon situation at first base if the lefty-hitting Adams struggles against lefty pitching. Reynolds owns a career .351 on-base percentage against left-handers, compared with .314 against right-handers. He also strikes out about 5 percent less against lefties.
"The ball's breaking into you (against lefties). I can get those," Reynolds said. "It's the ones away that are giving me a little problem."
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Reynolds has enjoyed hitting at Busch Stadium since he came up with the Diamondbacks in 2008. In 19 games, he is hitting .311/.380/.557 with four homers, including two last year. But his success in St. Louis isn't why the Cardinals pursued his services.
So why did they?
"It's definitely not my contact rate," he said, drawing a laugh from the media.
It was his power, of course, though his sense of humor could not have hurt.
You can follow Stan McNeal on Twitter at @StanMcNeal or email him at stanmcneal@gmail.com.
