St. Louis Cardinals’ Pete Kozma’s performance lauded – MLB News
St. Louis Cardinals' manager Mike Matheny on Monday, September 24, lauded shortstop Pete Kozma’s performance as he continues to be a good replacement for Rafael Furcal.
Furcal sustained a season-ending arm injury on August 30 and since then it is young Kozma who is doing his bit to keep the team up in the National League Central.
"He's taken good at-bats for us," Matheny said. "He's taken tough at-bats and they're pitching him tough. That eight-hole is not an easy place to be. He's done a nice job with the opportunity that he's had.”
What is important to note is the fact that Kozma has a seemingly uninterrupted chance at a position which has otherwise remained a stranglehold of Furcal, a player whose instrumentality on this spot proved decisive last year, helping the team considerably.
That no other player has figured in this position and has done a decent job, serves as incontrovertible evidence of Kozma’s superiority. Kozma himself, full confidence, has his perspective to share about it.
"I kind of figured I would be splitting time with somebody who had been up here all year," Kozma said. "I feel pretty good getting in there. I've worked out the jitters."
In the Minors, Kozma had been tipped as a solid player. He has proven that here in the Major League and at a time in this position which are certainly extraordinary. The Redbirds are competing for the Wild Card and keeping that intact remains important.
Of the three players which include Daniel Descalso, Ryan Jackson and Kozma, available to replace Furcal after his injury, it was Kozma that the Cardinals preferred to opt for given how he has performed so far.
Manager Mike Matheny said, "We have three guys to kind of play with. We're just trying to figure out who was going to take advantage of it. That's been Pete."
In 18 games that he has appeared this season, Kozma maintains a .298 average in 47 at-bats, hitting a homer coupled with five RBIs with an impressive .596 slugging percentage. In the days to come, the Cardinals will look to him for the consistent performance that he has shown so far.
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