Free Brian Barton

Good day readers. I have only time for a very brief post before returning back to my job to check people out endlessly, while hoping that they don't choose to use their shopping carts as storage for their herd of small children. The quick point I'd like to make is to take yet another shot at Skip Schumaker, and more honorably, promote the fine play of Rule 5 draftee Brian Barton.

This won't be the first time it is pointed out an a sprayahen article that Tony La Russa has way too much faith in the horribly untalented Schumaker. Despite a terrible slump to start the season, La Russa has stuck with the Quadruple-A player religiously, recently insisting that he is a "quality lead-off hitter" who shouldn't be penalized just because his batted balls weren't finding holes. See, the problem is, over the course of Schumaker's lucky ass career, his batted balls have been doing nothing but finding holes, to an absurdly lucky extent. For instance, all one needs to do is look at last season's batting average on balls in play: .368. The average BABIP rate is close to .300; that's just insane. Schumaker has been nothing but lucky in any of his success so far, and has never shown anything bordering on actual ability.

Barton, on the other hand, has put up solid minor league numbers and possesses numerous skills, such as patience, speed, and even a bit of power. He is a much more gifted player than Schumaker and would put up the numbers to support it if both were given an equal chance. Barton's early line of .417/.462/.667 is great, although he has only received 12 at bats. Nonetheless, I find it terribly sad that nothing short of Schumaker's demise could get him out of the lineup (possibly not even that would do it). Tony will continue to pencil him in no matter how badly he slumps, asserting that he's just going through bad luck, when in fact he's just showing the kind of hitter he actually is. Schumaker's struggles out of the gate were so bad that I think even Albert would have been released if it had been him hitting that way. And yet there isn't a player Tony seems to trust more. Sad, sad, sad. It just goes to show the Cardinals' continued policy on undervaluing talented players with the last name of Barton. Nothing new here.

As a last note, I had a dream last night that La Russa was fired. This tells me two things. One, I really need to get out more. Two, I secretly am sick of Tony managing the Cardinals. He doesn't fit the organization outlook on rebuilding. He hates younger players despite his comments earlier in the spring, and he only knows how to put out a lineup full of tough, salty used up veterans because he believes that's the most reliable way to win. La Russa's a Hall of Fame manager; I'm just tired of how predictable his personnel choices are, and I don't think it really meshes with the direction the team is going in. As a last note, I love Brian Barton.