| Judith A. Culp. 3rd June, 2005 - 9:09 pm
 Much was made in the offseason about the loss of shortstop Edgar Renteria and second baseman Tony Womack. Both defected to East Coast media darling teams (Red Sox and Yankees) and larger paychecks.
However, it seems that the detractors underestimated David Eckstein and completely overlooked Mark Grudzielanek. It was speculated that David Eckstein would not be able to fill Renteria’s shoes. He was too short, he did not have the arm strength or the batting power. All of which may be true, but it is not the whole truth. Yes, Eckstein is only 5’7 but he is gutty, plays hard and never gives up an at bat.
The knowledgeable fans of Busch Stadium know this and adore him. Let the record show: Cardinal Nation loves an overachiever. Eckstein is batting in the lead off spot and currently hitting .302 with two homeruns and two triples.
The Grudzielanek signing barely made a ripple. There was talk of coaxing volatile Robbie Alomar into a Cardinals uniform and when he took the money to sign in Tampa Bay (now retired), Grudzielanek seemed like an after thought. A good one though. He is currently hitting .344 (highest on the team), has 22 RBI and even hit for the cycle earlier this season.
I suppose the analysts get paid to give their opinions, but there is a reason why the best answer to every sports question is always settled on the field of play. |
