By Chris Brown / STL Baseball Today | @cbrown_STLBBT | March 10, 2016, 10:03 am CT
Mozeliak says team will look to replace shortstop internally
By Keith Allison / CC Image / No changes made
Updated at 10:25 am CT with additional details:
Five days after he tore a ligament in his left thumb fielding a routine ground ball, Cardinals shortstop Jhonny Peralta underwent surgery to repair the tear Thursday morning in St. Louis after getting a second opinion, GM John Mozeliak told reporters, including Mark Saxon of ESPN.
Peralta is expected to wear a cast on his hand for the next four to six weeks, and while the original two to three month timetable for his absence – which could see him back as soon as early June – remains possible, the veteran infielder’s return is more likely to be around the All-Star Break, Saxon tweets.
With the news of an extended absence for Peralta, Mozeliak says he’s received calls from clubs across the game regarding a potential trade for an infielder, something he likened to “ambulance chasing,” although the GM said he hasn’t placed a single call on available shortstops, preferring to first evaluate in-house options.
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Those in-house options, offseason acquisition and natural second baseman Jedd Gyorko, utility-man Greg Garcia, and prospect Aledmys Diaz, will continue to get time at the position this spring as the team decides their best option (or combination of options) at the position.
Gyorko, acquired in an offseason trade with the Padres that sent long-time redbird outfielder Jon Jay to San Diego, has unquestionable pop in his bat (49 home runs over the last three seasons), but limited experience at shortstop, appearing in just 29 big-league games at the position (28 last season). The 27-year-old was about three to four runs below average at short in 220 innings in 2015, by estimation of Ultimate Zone Rating and Defensive Runs Saved, per MLB Trade Rumors.
In contrast, the 26-year-old Garcia has started just over 300 games as a shortstop in the minor leagues, but has hit just ten homers there over the last two seasons and owns a meager .225/.337/.387 batting line in limited big-league at-bats. Power aside, Garcia has been a consistent hitter overall during his time in the minors and is regarded to have a solid glove at the position.
Diaz, now in his third year with the organization, represents another potential option at the position. The 25-year-old, who signed a four-year deal as a free agent in 2014 and has dealt with various injuries in recent years, saw his stock rise after impressive performances at the end of the 2015 minor league season and in the Arizona Fall League. Considered by many to be the club’s eventual successor for Peralta at the position, Diaz has impressed thus far in Spring Training action, collecting four hits (including two doubles) the day after Peralta went down.
Whatever player – or combination of players – handles shortstop for the first part of the season will have big shoes to fill in place of Peralta, who has provided much needed stability at the position in his time wearing the birds on the bat, starting 298 games at the position over the past two seasons while posting a .269/.355/.427 batting line along with 38 home runs and 146 RBIs.
