With Albert Pujols gone, the Cardinals need a new face of the franchise.
They have no shortage of candidates. Native son David Freese has been the club’s most visible player since his postseason for the ages but he’s never even played 100 games in a season. Lance Berkman has the career credentials and leadership skills but he turns 36 next month and is on a one-year contract. Age also works against starter Chris Carpenter, who is 36. Adam Wainwright has the personality and the pedigree but he is returning from Tommy John surgery and has a comeback to deal with. Yadier Molina has been with the club longer than any position player and is coming off his best season but the club can’t even get him to show up to its winter fanfest.
Matt Holliday is a five-time All-Star. (AP Photo)
There are, however, no such excuses for Matt Holliday’s candidacy. He has the game: His .315 career batting average since arriving in the majors in 2004 is second only to Pujols among active N.L. players. He has the experience, having established himself as a superstar with the Rockies. And he has the salary: Entering year three of a seven-year, $120 million contract, he remains the Cardinals’ highest-paid player.
No less a Cardinals great than batting coach Mark McGwire believes Holliday is the man. At the St. Louis baseball writers dinner honoring the club Sunday night, McGwire put “Big Matt Holliday” on the spot when, lamenting Pujols’ loss, predicted a big year from his 32-year-old left fielder.
There’s only hitch with Holliday: He’d rather not, thank you very much.
On the field is no problem. Despite a run of unusual (A moth flying into an ear, for example) injuries last year, Holliday typically is good for All-Star production for 155 games.
In the clubhouse isn’t, either, though Holliday is not known as a big-time leader. “A lot of that is perception,” he says. “I interact with my teammates a little differently than some of you might think. I’m not a yeller but I’m not afraid to talk to young guys about certain things.”
Freese would not disagree. He credits Holliday for being like “a big brother” who has taught him how to behave like a major leaguer.
Being the face of a franchise, however, requires considerable interacting with the public and the media, and neither endeavor ranks among Holliday’s favorites.
He prefers to use his media savvy to avoid reporters. He knows if he takes 30 minutes to show up at his locker after a game, much of the media has departed to make deadline. He knows when the clubhouse shuts out the media before a game and has been seen peeking out from the players-only lounge a few minutes before closing. If any media is lingering, he ducks back in.
To this point, Holliday does not see his responsibilities growing because of Pujols’ departure.
“I don’t think so,” he says. “I try to be myself no matter who is on the team. We have lots of really good older players that are good leaders. My role is to go out there and play as hard as I can and do the best I can and offer advice where need be.”
Holliday says no one on the Cardinals has spoken to him about increased responsibilities though, as he pointed out, such changes often happen during spring training.
Well, here’s hoping new manager Mike Matheny, GM John Mozeliak or someone confronts Holliday and tells him to step into the void. I have no doubt he could handle the role.
Holliday is as grounded as any millionaire athlete in the land. The morning after last year’s All-Star game, as I lined up for my Southwest flight back to St. Louis, Holliday, his wife and two young sons stood at the front of the line, with Pops holding a couple of bags of Burger King for the ride home. When approached by fans while waiting at the luggage claim, he was more than accommodating with autograph requests.
Success certainly hasn’t gone to his head. Asked if winning the World Series has changed his off-season, he replied, “Nope. Pretty low key. Working out, taking care of my kids and hanging out with my wife. Trying to make it as normal as possible.”
While Holliday isn’t likely to knock on his boss’ door and lobby for more responsibility, he would not shy away from increased duties.
“I’ve played on teams that didn’t have Albert before. I’ve batted third before. I’ve played in the World Series before,” he says. “I work for the St. Louis Cardinals and if the job description changes and there’s more asked of me, that’s part of my job. I’m willing to do whatever it takes.”
There’s your opening, Cardinals. Give him a nudge. You won’t regret it.
