Days of striving for 162 games are over when workload management and proactive rest are latest competitive edge teams can calculate. Also: ASG votes.
www.stltoday.com
Derrick Goold
MILWAUKEE — Back in 2015, Paul Goldschmidt blitzed his way toward being a starter at the All-Star Game with a batting average around .340, an OPS better than 1.000 and 70 RBIs to go with an appearance in all 87 games Arizona played.
Seven years later, Goldschmidt leads the voting for the All-Star Game at his position again, has an average of .339, an OPS greater than 1.000 and 58 RBIs to go with no way he was playing in every game the Cardinals have had.
Consider it a lesson learned.
“In July and August of that year, I just felt tired that whole (time) and ended up having to take more off days in the second half and felt like it affected (me),” Goldschmidt said. “OK, you’ve got to just take your off days. It would be cool to play 162. I’ve got 161 and 160, and obviously that’s not going to happen this year. It hasn’t been a goal because I think if you can be smart about it, hopefully you help the team more by taking a few days.”
A day after starting at designated hitter to give him a break from the field, Goldschmidt was not in the Cardinals’ lineup Tuesday against Milwaukee. He had some continuing lower back pain that he played through Monday, but the team opted to rest him Tuesday and not risk aggravating the soreness.
The proactive rest the Cardinals have given Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado throughout this first half — sometimes by using the DH as a break — has been beneficial, the team and players assert. Goldschmidt is in the midst of one of the finest first halves of his career, staking an early claim the NL MVP conversation. He won the Player of the Month award for May and on Tuesday received the NL’s Player of the Week award. Goldschmidt hit .467 (14 for 30) in the week with four homers and 11 RBIs. He slugged .967 in seven games. According to results released Tuesday, Goldschmidt’s 930,441 votes lead the NL to start at first base in next month’s All-Star Game.