ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - Expect runners in scoring position to be a big emphasis during Spring Training this year for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Last year, Cardinals were, for a lack of a better term, shambolic, when it came to runners in scoring positions, with the Cardinals batting average of .229 was fourth-worst in all of baseball and their weighted runs created plus (wRC+) of 80 which was only better than the historically bad 2024 Chicago White Sox.
Cardinals Manager Oli Marmol clearly recognized it as a point of issue last year and calls for the team to improve with runners in scoring position 'a point of emphasis' during Spring Training.
"We need to be better, we need to score more runs," said Marmol to reporters Wednesday. "Several guys have said it, we need to score more runs."
"We took some really good strides on the pitching side last year, our bullpen was really good. Some of our starters made progress, but on the offensive side, it was a little bit of our downfall of our season."
Marmol says the conversations he has had with new Cardinals hitting coach Brant Brown, game-planning coach Packy Elkins, assistant hitting coach Brandon Allen, and with players have been 'productive.'
"We have to find different ways to win," said Marmol. "We can't rely on one way of winning. That's really approach driven, so it's something we're constantly talking about."
Marmol discussed Brown, saying the reception players have given to him has been 'incredible', while also he noting he doesn't tolerate 'mediocre preparations or mindsets.'
"He cares, he's an absolute maniac when it comes to his preparation, and I mean that in a positive way," said Marmol. "He really cares about the player, going into a game, knowing exactly what they are about to experience and having the tools in order to execute."
Marmol says one of Brown's biggest strengths is his messaging and communications skills, especially when it comes giving hitters advice on what their emphasis should be in certain situations.
"The way he communicates with our players, it's like he speaks a different language in a sense like if the players a field guy, he can talk that with them, if it's a highly mechanical type of a player, he can go through the mechanics of the swing," said Marmol. "If a guy wants to strictly talk approach, he has a really good sense on how to communicate that."
"He has a really good idea on how to message that and reach the player whether you've been the league for 10 years or this is your first year in the league."