After every season (dating back to 2012), we’ve spent time looking at every player that got into a game for the St. Louis Cardinals that season. They might have gotten a couple of innings, they might have played every day, but if they played, they get a post. Usually, I like to term this like the players are packing up their locker and then seeing Mike Shildt before they head off for the winter. This year, of course, was anything but typical. So we’ll look at every player, we’ll take in some of their stats, but we won’t be giving out grades this season or delving too much into the positive/negative. There are just too many variables in the Year of COVID for that to be reasonable. As he has for the past few years, cardinalsgifs has lent his enormous talents to our header image and we thank him for it!
Player: Rangel Ravelo
Season stats: 13 games, 41 PA, 5 R, 6 H, 1 2B, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 4 BB, 6 K, .171/.244/.286, 45 OPS+, -0.2 bWAR
Postseason stats: DNP
Statcast: .266 xwOBA, 6.5% barrel %, 84.8 exit velocity, 32.3% hard hit %
Best Statcast category: Sprint Speed (8th percentile)
Worst Statcast category: Sprint Speed (8th percentile)
Hero/Goat: Hero 1
On COVID IL: Yes
Overview: Sometimes I think the Cardinals like the idea, the concept of Rangel Ravelo more than what we actually see out of him. He’s shown in the minor leagues that he can be a solid bat but it hasn’t translated much to the MLB level. The hitter that was putting up averages around .300 with some pop has three career big league home runs and a career batting average of .189. The idea that he was going to be this potent bench bat was intriguing, but just hasn’t come to fruition yet. Perhaps he was held down some this year with the COVID, but I don’t know if there would have been much more in the way of results if he had been healthy all year. Of course, he doesn’t get to play regularly which can be a problem when you are trying to find an offensive rhythm, but he’s never going to play regularly so if he can’t hit from the bench, there’s a problem.
Outlook: Ravelo is out of options and, honestly, that 40-man spot might be more valuable than what he can give to the club. I would expect, given the probable chill this winter, that they won’t necessarily need to squeeze him out for that spot and he’ll come to spring training with a chance to go north and be that bench bat they think he is. A weak spring (or a strong one by someone not on the 40-man) and he could be set free, however.
