A CITIZEN'S BLOG

In the chess game of the 2004-2005 baseball offseason a significant move that will effect the Phillies was made yesterday when the Cardinals Edgar Renteria signed a massive deal with the Boston Red Sox to be their shortstop. Remember the butterfly conversation in Jurassic Park? Even an act as seemingly insignificant as a butterfly flapping his wings in Beijing results in rain in New York instead of sunshine. The Red Sox move will have repercussions for the Phillies:

With Renteria signing with the Red Sox and Tony Womack going to the Yankees, St. Louis’ middle infield needs help. Here is what the Cards are losing:

Renteria: .248 GPA / .114 ISO / .327 OBP / 17 Win Shares (-1 WSAA)
Womack: .255 GPA / .078 ISO / .349 OBP / 18 Win Shares (2 WSAA)

Tony LaRussa, the Cards skipper, is known to like one player on the Phillies 2004 roster: Placido Polanco, who just so happens is able to play second base and short. Polanco, as it happens, swings a better bat too:

Polanco: .260 GPA / .143 ISO / .345 OBP / 17 Win Shares (2 WSAA)

Defensively:

Zone Rating / Fielding Win Shares per 1,000 innings:
Womack: .825 ZR / 4.0 FWS 1,000
Renteria: .855 ZR / 3.7 FWS 1,000
Polanco: .816 ZR / 6.1 FWS 1,000

With the Phillies committed to making Chase Utley their every day second baseman for 2005, it doesn’t seem likely that management will fight him leaving for St. Louis, and the Cardinals need major help with their middle infield. I can’t see this taking more than a week or two to get ironed out. His signing with the Cards is, in my judgment, a matter of time. The ripple effect continues ...

Goodbye, Placido.