St. Louis Cardinals: Aledmys Diaz confusion illustrates real problems

ST. LOUIS, MO - JUNE 1: Aledmys Diaz #36 of the St. Louis Cardinals turns a double play against Austin Barnes #15 of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the seventh inning at Busch Stadium on June 1, 2017 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)
ST. LOUIS, MO - JUNE 1: Aledmys Diaz #36 of the St. Louis Cardinals turns a double play against Austin Barnes #15 of the Los Angeles Dodgers in the seventh inning at Busch Stadium on June 1, 2017 in St. Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)

The St. Louis Cardinals have problems not just on the diamond but extending all the way into the front office. This was exemplified through the optioning of a young short stop.

The St. Louis Cardinals optioned Aledmys Diaz to triple-A Memphis on June 28 in the wake of his lackluster play and in the wake of the surging Paul DeJong. What seems obvious to fans, may not be so obvious to Diaz.

Reported yesterday by Alaina Getzenberg for MLB.com, Diaz stated that he didn’t know the reason for his demotion and that he was caught off-guard by the demotion. He went on to say that he wasn’t told the reason but will continue to work hard to make it back to the St. Louis Cardinals.

Let’s take a look at his numbers this season to see if Aledmys should be more observant of his performance or if there is really cause for confusion:

2017 Batting Gamelog
RkGcarGtmDateTmOppRsltInngsPAABRH2B3BHRRBIBBIBBSOHBPSHSFROEGDPSBCSBAOBPSLGOPSBOPaLIWPARE24DFS(DK)DFS(FD)Pos
11121Apr 2STLCHCW,4-3CG550210000000000020.400.400.6001.0002.900.1110.8118.0021.00SS
21132Apr 4STLCHCL,1-2CG440000000000000000.222.222.333.55621.65-0.146-0.860.000.00SS
31143Apr 6STLCHCL,4-6CG552210000000000100.286.286.429.7142.83-0.030-0.3212.0015.40SS
41154Apr 7STLCINL,0-2CG440000000000000000.222.222.333.55621.18-0.118-0.930.000.00SS
51165Apr 8STLCINW,10-4CG553300240010000000.304.304.652.9572.630.2283.6037.0050.60SS
61176Apr 9STLCINL,0-8CG440100000010000000.296.296.593.8892.48-0.048-0.133.003.00SS
71187Apr 10STL@WSNL,6-14CG550000000010000000.250.250.500.75021.10-0.134-1.470.000.00SS
81198Apr 11STL@WSNL,3-8CG441200110000000000.278.278.583.8612.82-0.0020.8317.0021.70SS
912010 (1)Apr 14STL@NYYL,3-4CG441210000010000000.300.300.600.90021.13-0.041-0.0110.0012.20SS
1012111Apr 15STL@NYYL,2-3CG440000000010000000.273.273.545.8182.68-0.071-0.590.000.00SS
1112212Apr 16STL@NYYL,3-9CG550000000000000100.245.245.490.7352.95-0.152-1.860.000.00SS
1212313Apr 17STLPITW,2-1CG330000000010000000.231.231.462.6922.48-0.037-0.380.000.00SS
1312414Apr 18STLPITW,2-1CG440000000000000000.214.214.429.6432.73-0.093-1.200.000.00SS
1412515Apr 19STLPITW,2-17-8110100000000000001.228.228.439.6679.79-0.014-0.173.003.00PH
1512616Apr 20STL@MILL,5-7CG550210000010000010.242.242.452.69421.04-0.0190.1013.0015.00SS
1612717Apr 21STL@MILW,6-3GS-9550100000000000000.239.239.433.6722.47-0.060-1.083.003.00SS
1712818Apr 22STL@MILW,4-17-7111100110000000000.250.250.485.73591.540.1901.0014.0018.70PH
1812919Apr 23STL@MILW,6-4CG540100011000000000.250.260.472.7322.870.047-0.037.009.50SS
1913020Apr 25STLTORL,5-6CG(11)550000000010000000.234.244.442.68521.06-0.152-1.000.000.00SS
2013121Apr 27 (1)STLTORW,8-4CG(11)660100000000000000.229.238.422.66021.54-0.140-1.133.003.00SS
2113223 (1)Apr 28STLCINW,7-5CG550100000000000000.227.236.409.6452.54-0.041-1.363.003.00SS
2213324Apr 30STLCINL,4-5CG541000001010000000.217.234.391.62522.05-0.174-0.094.006.20SS
MayGtmDateTmOppRsltInngsPAABRH2B3BHRRBIBBIBBSOHBPSHSFROEGDPSBCSBAOBPSLGOPSBOPaLIWPARE24DFS(DK)DFS(FD)Pos
2313425May 1STLMILL,5-7CG(10)551200110010000000.227.242.423.66521.27-0.1030.1417.0021.70SS
2413526May 2STLMILW,2-1CG440000000010000000.218.233.406.6392.97-0.100-0.880.000.00SS
2513627May 4STLMILL,4-5CG551310000000000000.236.250.425.67561.730.0450.7513.0015.20SS LF
2613728May 5STL@ATLW,10-0CG541410031000000000.264.283.455.7386.540.1573.3524.0031.70SS
2713829May 6STL@ATLW,5-3CG540300020000010000.281.297.465.7625.630.1502.1613.0016.00SS LF
2813930May 7STL@ATLW,6-4CG(14)660000000010000000.267.282.442.72461.28-0.198-1.500.000.00SS
2914031May 8STL@MIAW,9-4CG542000001000001000.258.279.427.7066.470.0120.296.009.40SS
3014132May 9STL@MIAW,6-5CG440000000000000000.250.271.414.68561.44-0.161-1.060.000.00SS
3114233May 10STL@MIAW,7-5CG550200010000000010.256.275.414.68961.260.009-0.2113.0015.50SS
3214334May 12STLCHCL,2-3CG440200000010000100.263.282.416.69861.59-0.126-0.386.006.00SS
3314435May 13STLCHCW,5-3CG440000000030000100.255.274.404.67821.25-0.159-2.000.000.00SS
3414536May 14STLCHCW,5-0CG440200000000000000.262.280.407.6876.26-0.026-0.386.006.00SS
3514637May 16STLBOSL,3-6CG430100001010000000.264.286.405.6916.69-0.007-0.225.006.00SS
3614738May 17STLBOSL,4-5CG(13)651100001010000100.261.288.399.68661.100.005-0.207.009.20SS
3714839May 19STLSFGL,5-6CG440000000010000000.255.280.389.6696.61-0.063-0.860.000.00SS
3814940May 20STLSFGL,1-3CG(13)550100000020000000.253.278.383.66181.28-0.052-0.433.003.00SS
3915041May 21STLSFGW,8-3CG433220001000000000.261.289.400.6897.720.0601.4418.0024.60SS
4015142May 23STL@LADL,1-2CG(13)440110000010000000.260.288.402.69171.330.0010.125.006.00SS
4115243May 24STL@LADW,6-1CG531110002000000000.262.297.407.7046.510.0530.3111.0015.20SS
4215344May 25STL@LADL,3-7CG440110000020000000.261.296.409.7057.68-0.031-0.375.006.00SS
4315446 (1)May 27STL@COLW,3-0CG440210000010000000.267.300.417.7176.840.1141.108.009.00SS
4415547May 28STL@COLL,4-8CG440100000010000000.266.299.413.71251.01-0.084-0.683.003.00SS
4515648May 29STLLADL,1-5CG440100000010000000.266.298.410.7086.750.008-0.133.003.00SS
4615749May 30STLLADL,4-9CG440000000010000000.260.292.401.6935.80-0.075-0.860.000.00SS
4715850May 31STLLADW,2-1CG320000001100000000.258.293.397.69081.24-0.060-0.372.003.00SS
JunGtmDateTmOppRsltInngsPAABRH2B3BHRRBIBBIBBSOHBPSHSFROEGDPSBCSBAOBPSLGOPSBOPaLIWPARE24DFS(DK)DFS(FD)Pos
4815951Jun 1STLLADW,2-0CG330000000010000000.254.288.391.6798.84-0.051-0.750.000.00SS
4916052Jun 2STL@CHCL,2-3CG441100000010000000.254.288.388.67661.17-0.0380.195.006.20SS
5016153Jun 3STL@CHCL,3-5CG330100000000000000.255.288.387.6768.92-0.024-0.093.003.00SS
5116254Jun 4STL@CHCL,6-7CG430220011000000000.261.297.401.69881.530.1341.4014.0018.50SS
5216355Jun 5STL@CINL,2-4CG330000000020000000.257.293.395.6888.88-0.089-1.000.000.00SS
5316457 (1)Jun 7STL@CINL,4-6CG441100000000000000.257.292.393.6856.92-0.060-0.455.006.20SS
5416558Jun 8STL@CINL,2-5CG331110000000000000.258.293.396.6897.95-0.0470.087.009.20SS
5516659Jun 9STLPHIW,3-2CG441210110000000100.262.296.416.7126.940.0980.3519.0024.70SS
5616760Jun 10STLPHIW,7-0CG440000000020000000.258.291.409.7005.40-0.050-1.280.000.00SS
5716861Jun 11STLPHIW,6-5CG441100000000000100.258.290.406.69751.06-0.061-1.125.006.20SS
5816963 (1)Jun 13 (2)STLMILL,5-8CG441100000010000000.258.290.403.69361.35-0.010-0.235.006.20SS
5917064Jun 14STLMILL,6-7CG442200120000000000.262.293.418.7116.640.1301.9621.0028.40SS
6017165Jun 15STLMILL,4-6CG430100011000000000.263.296.417.71361.330.0680.727.009.50SS
6117266Jun 16STL@BALW,11-2CG551200000000000000.265.298.416.7156.52-0.064-0.828.009.20SS
6217367Jun 17STL@BALL,7-15GS-5330000000000000000.262.295.411.7066.63-0.053-1.060.000.00SS
6317468Jun 18STL@BALL,5-8CG430100001000000000.263.298.410.7087.47-0.0090.045.006.00SS
6417569Jun 20STL@PHIW,8-1CG(11)551200000000000000.266.300.410.7106.83-0.0640.028.009.20SS
6517670Jun 21STL@PHIW,7-610-GF(10)110000000000000000.265.299.409.7073.91-0.026-0.360.000.00PH LF
6617771Jun 22STL@PHIL,1-5CG330000000020000000.262.296.404.6997.68-0.054-0.490.000.00SS
6717872Jun 23STLPITL,3-4CG440100000010000000.261.295.402.69661.70-0.187-1.053.003.00SS
6817973Jun 24STLPITL,3-78-GF220100000000000000.263.296.402.6991.210.0030.153.003.00PH SS
6918074Jun 25STLPITW,8-4CG431100010010101000.264.297.401.69861.610.0851.227.009.70SS
7018175Jun 26STLCINW,8-2CG440000000020000100.260.293.396.6888.47-0.046-1.910.000.00SS
7118276Jun 27STL@ARIL,5-610-GF(10)000000000000000.260.293.396.68890.0000.000.000.00SS
32-392882733071160720131410112841.260.293.396.688.96-1.942-11.59440.00553.00

What stands out is that he is sitting on .260 after 71 games. In 2016, through 71 games, Diaz held a slash of .316/.374/.523. Was he just better in 2016 for the St. Louis Cardinals? Does confusion exist here?

To his credit, as I said above, Diaz is working hard in Memphis to show that he has what it takes to return to the majors. So how has he been doing in Memphis? Since his demotion, Diaz has appeared in 11 games and is carrying a slash of .217/.229/.348.

Does confusion still exist?

To me, there is little reason for confusion. When compared to Paul DeJong who owns a .288/.304/.562 slash, I just don’t see the reason for confusion. DeJong 100 percent should be playing for the St. Louis Cardinals over Diaz at this moment.

The real issue here for me, however, is the fact that Diaz reports that he wasn’t told why he was being demoted. I believe this firmly shows that the St. Louis Cardinals have problems in their front office and/or in the management of the team.

Shouldn’t someone- St. Louis Cardinals GM Mike Girsch, President of Baseball Operations John Mozeliak, and/or manager Mike Matheny- have taken Aledmys aside and told him why he was being demoted? Doesn’t he need to know what to work on during his demotion?

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In asking these questions, I find myself wondering if Diaz was informed last year about his DFA…?

And let’s also note that AAA manager Stubby Clapp should be able discuss the demotion with Diaz but it seems that hasn’t happened either. The fact that it seems that no one with the St. Louis Cardinals has spoken with Diaz to make an improvement plan is very disheartening. Shouldn’t a team want to put on paper a plan of progression?

To be fair, Diaz does talk about a ‘plan’ in the MLB article. So perhaps there is a plan as he works with Mark Budaska who indicates that pitch recognition and strike zone management are the major focuses for Diaz in Memphis. Either way the St. Louis Cardinals likely made the right decision to demote for improvement.

Next: Best Cardinals moments tournament

Diaz did step away from baseball activities for a few nights but is expected back with Memphis tonight. Stay tuned to see if the work pays off. Do you think he can make it back to the St. Louis Cardinals?