Renteria's Ex-Manager Says LaRussa "Will Love" Shortstop
Rick Hummel
Post-Dispatch
February 15, 1999
Leyland says the new Cardinal is a good clutch hitter but is still learning to steal bases.
Colorado manager Jim Leyland, who managed new Cardinals shortstop Edgar Renteria the past two years in Florida, had this scouting report on Renteria:
"He's an excellent clutch hitter who lays the bat on the ball. He's still in the process of knowing how to steal a base. He stole some (41 last year) but he also got thrown out (22 times). I kind of let him go. He's pretty good at knowing when to steal, but sometimes he doesn't get the jumps.
"He'll be a very good major-league shortstop for a long time. I don't think he'll be a superstar. But he's a baseball player. Tony (La Russa) will love him. He's got good instincts, and he knows how to play the game. He's a great kid, but after we lost everybody last year, he was kind of down. He felt down, and so did a lot of people.
"He's a good offensive player. He'll take a single with two outs and give you a big hit although he doesn't (hit for power) very often."
Ideally, Leyland considers Renteria, who batted .282 last season, a No. 2 hitter or No. 8 hitter. "At No. 8, he's a real good type of guy to pitch around. They'd walk him to get to the pitcher. But I like him in the 'two' hole, too," Leyland said.
With the Cardinals, Renteria will bat leadoff, though Leyland didn't use him there much. Leyland didn't speculate on how Renteria might do at that spot but Renteria drew only 48 walks last season, which probably won't be enough.
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