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Cardinals Bill DeWitt Jr. Talks Playoff Drought, Analytics

DeWitt Jr. said he has concerns about today's game that he believes needs some changeGETTY IMAGES

MLB Cardinals Owner Bill DeWitt Jr. sits at the top of a franchise that "often finds itself in the middle, straddling that line between their plans for the future and the impatience of the present," according to a Q&A with Derrick Goold of the ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH. There is an "unease" around the ballclub presently -- one "heightened by the longest stretch without a playoff berth in more than 20 years." The front office has "acknowledged ownership’s urgency to return to the postseason." Below are excerpts from the Q&A, some of which have been edited for clarity and brevity.

Q: How does not being in the playoffs the past three seasons play into decisions made at the trade deadline?
DeWitt: We all feel like we have a playoff-caliber team, as is.

Q: Do you empathize with any frustrations or understand the criticism about there not being a move?
DeWitt: I would hope that we would have improved, but I wasn’t disappointed that we didn’t go crazy, stripping out our farm system to try and get a short-term fix. I don’t ever (want that). I don’t believe in that. I don’t think that’s a prudent way to run a baseball team.

Q: As a fan and an owner with influence, do you have concerns about the current game’s style?
DeWitt: I do have concerns. I think the game needs some change. I personally am anti-shift. I think that’s hurt the game. I think the emphasis on home runs -- which generates strikeouts and a lack of the action baseball has historically always had -- is now creating longer games. Many more pitches have been thrown. I think it can change without changing the fabric of the game. When I say change I mean move it back closer to what it was -- which I think is more appealing. I’m not talking about dramatic change. I know the commissioner is interested in that. There are a lot of ideas out there. The Atlantic League is experimenting with certain things, and I think it’s all good to experiment and see what works, see what’s appealing and what’s not appealing.

Q: What are your thoughts on all these formulas leading to a formulaic game?
DeWitt: I would prefer change that would enable more balls in play.

Q: You invested aggressively in the analytics approach, especially with the draft, so where do you think you are now?
DeWitt: From an evaluation standpoint, we’re very strong. We don’t have the biggest staff in baseball compared to some. But we will be re-engaging our staff. We’re doing some things to make sure that we access data quicker, as an example. It’s a priority for us to be at the top or cutting-edge on analytics. We’re good. But I think we have an opportunity to push the envelope a little bit more.

Q: You don’t see tanking in your plans, right?
DeWitt: I just don’t see us trading top players in their prime to go younger or anything like that. We’ve never done that. We’ve never been a team looking to do that.

Q: Are you aware of the agitation in the fan base? Do you think it’s fair?
DeWitt: We’re drawing extremely well. The fans are engaged. There is an element (of agitation out there). I don’t know how big it is.

Q: What about the perception that you will use the cost-effective move over the big move when, for example, one fair interpretation of the trade deadline is that you cut payroll?
DeWitt: The reality is this year we’re seventh in payroll. And (we’re) 11th in local revenue. The commentary that this is a wildly profitable business is misguided and wrong. Its value has clearly gone up -- of franchises -- since we bought the team (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 8/26).

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