Cardinals’ GM John Mozeliak thinks that team defense will be better in 2011:
“I’m of the belief that the defense question is being overstated. Overall, the idea that we’ve lessened our club that much defensively I guess I understand from the comment that we traded Brendan. But I don’t see the big change. I think this is going to be a good defensive club, if not better.”
OK. In addition to getting read of Brendan Ryan, who was probably the best shortstop in baseball last season, Mozeliak has given eight million bucks to Lance Berkman to be his starting right fielder. The same Lance Berkman who hasn’t played much if any outfield for four or five years and wasn’t particularly good at it back when he did.
Hey, I have no problem with a team deciding that it needs to sacrifice some defense in order to upgrade the bats, but man, just don’t go pretending that your team D is going to improve when you do it.