St. Louis Cardinals: Randal Grichuk to Memphis

Apr 20, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Randal Grichuk (15) looks on from the dugout in the game against the Chicago Cubs at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 20, 2016; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Randal Grichuk (15) looks on from the dugout in the game against the Chicago Cubs at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports /
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One of the St. Louis Cardinals key players has had a rough start to the year in just his second full season in the majors. Is it time to give him some time in the minors?

One of the most frustrating things of the year has been the struggles of Randal Grichuk. It was thought that Randal was going to look similar to what he looked like last year when he hit .276/.329/.548 with a total of 47 extra base-hits in 100 games.

Unfortunately, those numbers have not come to fruition again for Grichuk as he sits with a line of .219/.303/.391 with 11 extra base-hits. There has always been concern that Grichuk was going to be a feast or famine hitter and provide steady defense in center field.

This has unfortunately come to fruition in the first month and a half of the season. However, there is some cause for optimism with Grichuk. So far this season, Grichuk has a BABIP of just .258 compared to his high BABIP of .365 last season.

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Grichuk has also cut down on the strikeouts as he has just a 24% strikeout rate. This has also led to him walking more, which has been something he has struggled with in the past. While Grichuk has a ton of power in his bat, he simply cannot seem to figure out how to make consistent contact.

This has been ailing a number of Cardinals’ players so far this season, but there comes a time when it simply cannot be tolerated any longer. Tommy Pham is in the midst of finding his swing in Memphis and if he can start to perform down there, he is going to make the seat even hotter for Grichuk.

I am a believer in what Grichuk can do and how much of a cog he is in this team’s future, but the time is now for him to live up to that. Not only is Tommy Pham and Jeremy Hazelbaker hot on his trail, but Harrison Bader is making a case to potentially have a shot at the job in 2017.

Behind him, there is Magneuris Sierra, the 2014 Cardinals’ “Minor League Player of the Year”. So, if Grichuk cannot get it together soon, it may be time to try and get him worked out in a low-pressure environment like Memphis and allow Pham to play while Grichuk attempts to right things.

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The Cardinals cannot keep trotting him out there hoping he’s all of a sudden going to flip a switch. They aren’t going to win a playoff spot with this play anytime soon, but they could potentially lose it if they don’t turn things around now.