There aren’t as many stadia with 420’ center field fences that frustrate power hitters. The surfaces are grass, not turf.

And the team is different—we don’t have a Vince Coleman in waiting who just needs the green light. We have some players with reasonable speed, but only one with regular stealing capacity (Barton). I don’t think it’s reasonable to compare the 1985 figures to the 2008 figures, anymore than it’s reasonable to look at 1968 and ask why we can’t get a pitcher to throw a 1.12 ERA over the season. It’s a different game.

That said, we could stand to shake up our game a little bit and put the opposing team on edge more by reminding people we can run. And yes, all you Bartonites out there, Barton does need some more playing time. But nothing we do (and nobody we acquire) is going to make this team a team that steals 150 bases this year.

I look at… Joey Gathright from the Royals (who got two infield hits in one game off the Cardinals) as much bigger impacts than getting a long single, and then getting stuck onbase

You can have your Gathrights. I’ll take well-rounded players with power and enough sense not to run into outs.

They’re both fast. Beyond that, I don’t see why you’d lump them together. Gathright’s career OPS+ is 67. He has a negative impact on the Royals, even if he gets some infield hits.

The ‘85 Cards led the league in OBP and walks. In ‘86 their OBP plummeted to 12th in the league. Hmmm…

Speed is nice, but if it is not accompanied by baseball skills it is a liability. Look at guys like Juan Pierre, Scott Podsednik, Corey Patterson, your Joey Gathright…these are all guys who are bad at baseball but run like deers. Managers are fascinated by this speed, bat them leadoff, and get all thrilled that they don’t clog the bases (er, maybe that’s just Dusty Baker…). However, without the necessary hitting skills they just make a ton of outs, and then risk more by stealing bases or getting picked off, a risk that is ultimately silly b/c you’re risking an out (the only limiting factor in the game) and a baserunner to move up one base, which can easily be accomplished through any other number of ways w/out costing said runner. Besides, a fast runner is a threat to score from first on a double anyway, so why bother with stealing a base outside of certain circumstances?

Now, regarding Joe Morgan’s man crush, Jose Reyes. Reyes was heavily criticized pre-2006 b/c of the exact issue mentioned before. Yeah, he was fast as hell, but he wouldn’t take a walk, he couldn’t work a count, he didn’t drive the ball much b/c he was just slapping outside changeups on 1-0 to third base or whatever instead of getting HIS pitch. He hit leadoff and didn’t clog the bases, but mainly b/c he was never on the fucking bases in the first place. When he learned a bit more patience at the plate he became Jose Reyes, whereas before he was just a fast guy.

Honestly, I’m perfectly ok with having a team of sluggos that rely on gap shot doubles, walks, and homers. This isn’t an issue, esp. considering the team possesses the second best record and the third highest OPS+ in the NL.

I more picked Gathaway as a short-term example, since his two infield hits during that one game had an impact.

But still I look at players like Ichiro, Reyes, and even Fukudome as quality players to put in the line-up, and I would expect them to sprint around the bases. For example, how many more runs would we score with those players in the line-up? I’ll tell you, using the line-up calculator. Plus, I imagine that the LOB stats would decrease a bit. (I believe, but cannot confirm, that the Cards were among the teams with the highest LOB stats.)

Heh, anyway. You’re referring to Ichiro and Reyes as if they’re niche players – guys no one appreciates or knows about. Reyes was awful before 2006; that’s when he learned how to take a walk, and his OBP went from being around .300 to a steady .350. Ichiro’s career OBP is above .370. So of course adding either of them to the lineup would make the team better. They’re great players, and not just because they’re fast.

...and I would expect them to sprint around the bases.

Yadier Molina sprints around the bases too. Just not very fast. What’s your point?

They were #1 in the league in OBP by 9 points, and only 11 points behind the slugging leaders; just looking at HR’s doesn’t tell the whole story. they were 1 point of OPS+ behind the league leaders and led the league in OPS. They also stole those bases at a 76.5% clip, which would be a net benefit even today- and the value of a stolen base was much higher in that lower run-scoring environment. It really was a totally different game then.

They also had the best defense in the league by far, and the second-best pitching.