MLBeat: Renteria Heats Up In July
Shortstop is hitting .407 this month
By Matthew Leach / MLB.com
July 21, 2002
PITTSBURGH -- Cardinals shortstop Edgar Renteria has been, well, Ed-hot. Renteria has five multi-hit games out of his last seven, and he's batting .407 in July. He's even flashing a little power, knocking five extra-base hits in the past 10 games. But the soft-spoken shortstop swears there's nothing different about his approach or his swing these days.
"Working with (hitting coach) Mitchell Page," Renteria said. "We're working hard every day. Same swing, same everything. The first half, I hit a lot of balls hard that did not go through. Now they're going through, you know? I think my luck is changing."
Renteria has spent the vast majority of his career hitting in the No. 2 spot in the batting order, but with Placido Polanco entrenched there, Renteria has hit mostly sixth or seventh this year. He's enjoying the RBI opportunities.
"I like it because I really like to hit with runners in scoring position," Renteria said. "J.D. (Drew), (Albert) Pujols, they're always on base. Jim Edmonds. I think when I see runners in scoring position, I concentrate better on the ball."
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