St. Louis Cardinals' Rafael Furcal moved to eighth hole - MLB News
Rafael Furcal may have been moved to the eighth hole after he served the team in the leadoff spot, the St. Louis Cardinals’ management, however, still has the hopes he will be able to rediscover the quality form he once had.
It is pertinent to mention here that Spring Training has brought forward a lot of questions and uncertainties that do not probably have satisfactory answers for now. Of the immediate concern, among others, is the leadoff hitting.
The team manager Mike Matheny had his insight to offer on Thursday, March 29. "We saw a different Furcal in the last couple years than what you've seen that had the 5,000 at-bats in the leadoff spot," Matheny said, apparently admitting to the fact that it could be an age effect.
Although the team manager acknowledges Furcal has had the difficulty to find the real spot he has to be, he also hopes it will come about.
"I know that's who he wants to be. The game has a way of doing that to everybody as you get older. We're going to see some spots to where we want him at the top of the lineup. I know that is going to happen. Just right now, he's having trouble finding it."
The team signed Rafael Furcal this offseason for two-year $14 million contract. However, whatever has transpired has raised a lot of questions too, prompting the team to go for other viable options.
Provided Furcal fails to do the expected in the regular season, although the Cardinals want to use him as the shortstop, there are other names that can possibly replace him. Such a contingency plan is understandable given the urgency that this matter has.
The Cardinals are currently defending their World Series title. The senior lot in the team will have an important contribution in team’s victory. Therefore, the Cardinals may come up with some big moves in the days to come if things do not work out well.
Furcal’s regaining form and fitness, nonetheless, will be of crucial importance for the team considering the power he adds to the side.
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