When it comes to base-running, the Cardinals have plenty of room to improve
ST. LOUIS -- If the Cardinals want to score more runs this season, all they have to do is hit more homers.
Obvious, isn't it? They hit only 105 last year, the fewest in the National League and the fewest by a Cardinals team since 1992. With the additions of Jason Heyward and Mark Reynolds, plus an added year of experience for Matt Adams and Kolten Wong, the Cardinals should hit more long balls, too.
But just in case the winds don't blow in their favor, there's another way the Cardinals can raise their run total: Run the bases better.
By just about any measure, their base-running was lacking almost as much as their power in 2014. The Cardinals stole only 57 bases last season, which was a dozen more than they stole in 2013 but still the third-fewest in the majors. They were caught on 36 percent of their attempts, too, the fourth-worst percentage in either league. And it wasn't like the Cardinals lacked for chances; they finished with the fourth-most stolen-base opportunities.
Stealing bases, of course, is not the end-all to effective base-running. Taking the extra base and not running into outs might be even more important. The Cardinals didn't fare well in those departments, either. They ran into the fourth-most outs in the majors and they ranked 22nd in taking the extra base.
In a stat found on baseball-reference.com that combines running the bases and hitting -- run-scoring percentage -- the Cardinals also came in near the bottom. Only 28 percent of their baserunners scored, which ranked 25th in the majors and was down 6 percent from their majors-best percentage in 2013. (They didn't rank particularly well in base-running that season but their historic -- and unrepeatable -- .330 batting average with runners in scoring position covered up for their shortcomings.)
Tim McCarver pointed out several times while working Cardinals games for FOX Sports Midwest's telecasts that the team's base-running needed work. He was saying the same after the season, too. Appearing at a talking baseball dinner with Bob Gibson and Steve Carlton recently, McCarver called base-running the biggest difference in the game today compared to his playing career.
"The Cardinals' base-running could improve a great deal," he told an audience of 600, which responded with a healthy applause. "There's a lot of Cardinals players when they get on first base they're thinking second instead of thinking third."
Carlton recalled how aggressively Pete Rose and Roberto Clemente used to round first after a single, often running so hard toward second that when they realized they didn't have a chance to be safe, they would slide halfway between first and second, pop up and scamper back to first.
"Most of the guys today run to the bag and not through the bag," said McCarver, adding that the shin guards worn by many players are a contributing factor.
"You see they're taking off all this stuff and handing it to the first-base coach and the ball is in play. It's still in play," McCarver said. "Drives me crazy."
McCarver said he's talked with manager Mike Matheny about the team's base-running and is expecting to see a more aggressive base-running club this season.
Gibson, however, was not so sure at the dinner.
"We're still the Cardinals," Gibson said. "You say we're going to have better base-running and more stolen bases, but who's going to do it?"
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Good question. One candidate is Heyward, who was rated the Braves' best runner in 2014 by baseball-reference.com. Another is Wong, who led the Cardinals with 20 stolen bases in 24 attempts as a rookie. Also, Peter Bourjos should be good for more than nine stolen bases even if he's playing part time in his second season in the NL.
But the key to improved base-running falls largely on Matt Carpenter, especially if he continues to hit leadoff. Carpenter led NL leadoff men in on-base percentage (.375) and runs (99) but also was the team's poorest-rated baserunner, according to baseball-reference.com. He made a team-most 10 outs on the bases, not including the three times he was caught stealing in just eight attempts.
Matheny wants the Cardinals to be aggressive running the bases and said late last season that he thought they were getting better.
"It's not running into outs, but in certain spots be aggressive," he said. "It's thinking the game. We did a nice job (in 2013) in improving and we've done a nice job this year. That's why we make such a big deal of it when it doesn't happen. If you're taking a great secondary lead and don't want to be a station-to-station baserunner, that's a mentality that we've tried to change."
Based on the numbers, that mentality needs to change even more for the Cardinals to field a proficient scoring offense. More homers would not hurt, either, of course.
You can follow Stan McNeal on Twitter at @StanMcNeal or email him at stanmcneal@gmail.com.
