St. Louis Cardinals: Kolten Wong Unhappy with Prospect of Platoon
Kolten Wong implied he’d prefer a trade to splitting playing time at second base, though the St. Louis Cardinals infielder backtracked on those comments.
Amid a growing sense that the St. Louis Cardinals could take a platoon approach at second base, Kolten Wong isn’t exactly happy that he might not be the everyday starter at the position. He said as much to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, going so far as to suggest that he would welcome a trade to a team where he’d receive more ample playing time. The 26-year-old quickly backtracked on those comments, however.
It’s unsurprising that the Cardinals might not be prepared to just pencil Wong in as their regular second baseman, even as he enters his fifth big league season. He struggled last year, slashing .240/.327/.355 with five home runs and 23 RBI in 121 games. His 83 OPS+ was his lowest of the past three seasons, and his power output fizzled after consecutive double-digit homer campaigns.
Wong hasn’t helped his case at all this spring, hitting just .170 with four RBI through 47 at-bats. Jedd Gyorko hasn’t exactly shined (.205 BA) either, but he has popped two long balls and the Cards certainly won’t forget that the 28-year-old clubbed a career-high 30 home runs in 2016. Overall, Gyorko slashed .243/.306/.495 over 128 games in his first season in St. Louis.
Under contract through 2019 (along with a team option), the Cards will presumably want to maintain a consistent role for Gyorko. He’s certainly versatile, having appeared at every infield position last year, so they can get him into the lineup a number of ways. At the moment, his power potential simply makes him a more appealing option to get at-bats than Wong.
Ben Frederickson of the Post-Dispatch mentions Greg Garcia as another player who could see time at second base. He’s batting a hearty .341 with a homer this spring. The 27-year-old hit .276/.393/.369 (107 OPS+) in 99 games last season.
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For Wong, much of his frustration seems to come from the five-year, $25.5 million extension he signed with the Cardinals prior to last season. He believes the contract signaled a level of belief in him that the organization is no longer showing. Per the Post-Dispatch, he referenced Blue Jays sluggers Josh Donaldson and Jose Bautista as examples of current stars who took a bit longer than expected to come into their own at the major league level.
Having turned just 26 in October, Wong is correct that the book is not yet written on him. However, he’ll need to prove to the Cardinals this year that they can depend on him for the long-term future. Wong clarified his trade comments to the Post-Dispatch, re-affirming his desire to remain in St. Louis. Otherwise, he claims, he wouldn’t have signed last spring’s extension.
While the Cards no doubt want to see Wong succeed, they are also in the business of winning games in 2017. Last year they missed the postseason for the first time since 2010, and that doesn’t sit well with a franchise that has grown accustomed to a very high level of success. Watching the division rival Cubs lift the World Series trophy didn’t help matters either.
Next: Cardinals 2017 Team Preview
Point being that the Cardinals will fill second base with whomever they believe gives them the best chance to win. Kolten Wong has to show he’s that guy, now and for the long haul.