Cardinals outfielder Matt Holliday wants a better 2014 season

I don’t blame St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Matt Holliday if he is disappointed, overall, with his numbers from the 2013 season. Holliday wants to see what happened in the second half of the 2013 season but for the entire 2014 season.
Feb 17, 2014; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals left fielder Matt Holliday (7) looks on from the batting cage during spring training at Roger Dean Stadium. Image Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
“All the little things I go to when things don’t feel right weren’t helping,” the outfielder told the Post-Dispatch‘s Joe Strauss this week. “I couldn’t find my rhythm. My mechanics were off. I was grinding, no question.”

As of June 4th last season, Holliday’s batting average had reached a disappointing .249 for the season. Everything clicked soon thereafter. From June 5th to the end of the season, the Cardinals left fielder was on fire with a .332 batting average.

Just as impressive were his numbers after the All-Star break–one of the highest in the league.

"He batted .348 following the All-Star break, second in the National League only to Milwaukee second baseman Scooter Gennett. Holliday hit .378 in September, .400 in the season’s final 28 days."

In 414 games, Holliday hit .300/.389/.490 last season–hitting the .300 mark on the final game of the season for his 7th season hitting .300 or more.

Holliday will surely cross two milestones this season: 1,000 runs scored and 1,000 runs batted in. He would have been even closer had it not been for a very strange 2011 season, which saw his appendix removed and a moth fly into his ear.

Traded from the Oakland Atletics in 2009, Holliday is signed through the 2016 season and the Cardinals have an option for 2017. Holliday will turn 37 at that time but he wants to play into his 40s like Jason Giambi. Holliday will likely finish his career north of 2,500 hits when all is said and done but let’s enjoy the now and see how he does this season.