STL sports chat with Ben Frederickson
Bring your Cardinals, Blues and St. Louis sports questions, and talk to Post-Dispatch columnist Ben Frederickson in a live chat starting at 11 a.m. Tuesday.
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I'm not sure a new rule that started a runner on third base in extra innings would make the Cardinals' opponents sweat too much, based on the state of the Cardinals' lineup. In order to get that run home from third if you do get it moved over, you have to drive the ball, or lift it well enough to notch a sacrifice fly. Easier said than done for this group sometimes. The Cardinals are good at getting on base with runners in scoring position. Their RISP (runners in scoring position) on-base percentage (OBP) is .369, which is fifth-best in the National League. But they're RISP slugging percentage is a meager .351. That's 14th out of 15 NL teams. Only the Pirates, who are 14-32, have a lower OBP SLG (.348). The Cardinals do have 11 sacrifice flies this season. I think part of the extra-innings approach comes down to the fear of playing for one run, then finding out you needed two or more, especially on the road, where you don't get last say.
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Carlson has a better batting average and on-base percentage than Lane Thomas. He has a higher slugging percentage than Matt Wieters, who still gets starts over Andrew Knizner. I don't get it. I would like to see Carlson and Knizner learning on the fly during this strange season. Certainly more than some of the alternatives that have been getting more opportunities.
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