Renteria Is Zeroing In On "Greatest" Title
Rick Hummel Post-Dispatch
September 05, 2003
The phrase "greatest Cardinals shortstop in history" and the name "Edgar Renteria" well could be mentioned in the same sentence if Renteria could win another six or eight Gold Gloves to go with his consummate offense. Renteria isn't quite at Hall of Famer Ozzie Smith's lofty defensive standards yet, despite his clearly stronger throwing arm. But there is no mistaking that he is headed for the best offensive season by a Cardinals shortstop.
Renteria already holds the club record for home runs by a shortstop at 16, established in 2000. He has 13 now. Renteria also has 82 runs batted in, tying Doc Lavan (1921) and himself (last year) for most runs driven in as a Cardinals shortstop in the last 102 years. Bobby Wallace, a shortstop for the 1901 Cardinals, was credited with driving in 91 that year and 108 in 1899, which predates the modern era of baseball. Runs batted in did not become an official statistic until 1920.
Renteria's .325 average is just two off the club high by a shortstop, set by Rogers Hornsby, who gained his fame as a second baseman. Hornsby batted .327 in 1917 as a young shortstop but hit only eight homers with 66 runs batted in.
You also could also factor in Renteria's 39 doubles and 28 stolen bases as a shortstop this year, although that latter figure pales next to Smith's club high of 57 in 1988.
In recent times, Garry Templeton was considered the top Cardinals shortstop offensively, and he might have set numerous club records for the position if he had stayed here and stayed healthy. But in Templeton's best year, 1977, he batted .322 with eight homers, 79 RBIs and 28 steals. Templeton's only advantage over Renteria was his total of 18 triples that season. Templeton had 200 hits that year and 211 in 1979 when he batted .314 with 19 triples and nine homers. But neither of those seasons approaches Renteria, who is on pace for 90 or more RBIs, 15 home runs, 45 doubles and more than 30 steals.
Smith's best year was in 1987 when he drove in a remarkable 75 runs without a home run, stole 43 bags and batted .303.
Marty Marion twice drove in 70 or more runs - in 1947 and 1949 - although he hit only .272 in both years.
Dick Groat's best season with the Cardinals was in 1963 when he had 43 doubles and 73 RBIs and hit .319. But Renteria has or will surpass all those. And he is 28 years old.
For the first time in six years, the Cardinals will not draw three million fans. They enter tonight's game with Cincinnati at 2,486,985 for 68 dates with 13 remaining. The average is 36,573 but they aren't likely to maintain that average with poor-drawing Milwaukee and Colorado due for seven games during the week, and only Cincinnati and Houston on the weekend the rest of the season. The Cardinals would have to average 39,462 in those 13 games to reach three million and they won't make it. Rather, they will be somewhere around 2.9 million. The last time they were under three million, they attracted 2,634,014 in 1997.
The Cardinals' pitching staff is headed for a team first: 200 home runs allowed in a season. They are at 185 with 21 games left. The bullpen is headed for a record, too. Cardinals relievers have given up 64 home runs, four short of the total surrendered by the relievers in 2001. The high-water mark for home runs allowed overall is 196 in both 2000 and 2001.
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