Outfielder Tommy Pham, whose intensity and consistently strong play have helped keep the Cardinals alive in the past three months, spoke in clipped tones, if at all, after Sunday’s game.
Pham made no bones concerning his displeasure about the phrase “fourth outfielder†attached to his name in what mostly was a in Sunday’s Post-Dispatch.
“I’m no fourth outfielder,†he said. “That’s disrespectful. That’s not cool. I work hard at what I do.â€
Here's the Hochman paragraph that ticked off Pham: "2017 breakout star Tommy Pham will make an important impact on the 2018 team, either as a starting or fourth outfielder … or as trade bait that lures a quality player."
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Later on Sunday, Pham turned his discontent to a tweet that criticized his baserunning. He was picked off first base in the first inning Sunday but has twice as many steals as the next Cardinals player in line (Yadier Molina) with 16.
In what brief remarks he did make after Sunday's game, Pham, who had homered off Atlanta knuckleballer R.A. Dickey on May 7, said, “It’s not a hard adjustment†to face Dickey, though the righthander stopped the Cardinals for seven innings on Sunday.
And, for what he sees the rest of the season, he said, “Better baseball — because I will play better.â€
McGEE COMPARES BADER TO PHAM
Willie McGee, a special assistant to the general manager for the Cardinals, likens Memphis outfielder Harrison Bader to Pham. “Confident, but not cocky,†said McGee. Bader was six for 21 in a week’s worth of games last month for the Cardinals.
“(Bader) plays hard,†said McGee. “He’s going to take that extra base. He still gets thrown out too much (trying to steal). I wish I knew which counts, 0-2, 1-2, when he’s running. Then we can cut down on that stuff.â€
McGee, who spends a couple of weeks a month visiting various Cardinals minor league clubs to offer tutelage and advice, said, “It’s fun, to a point. These coaches down there do a great job. But, it’s just like with your kids at home, I’ve got to tell my son, ‘You’ve got to brush your teeth. You’ve got to comb your hair. Every day.’
“It’s the same with these kids. You’ve got to tell them the same thing every day. ‘Don’t take your eye off the ball. Take a good look at the outfielders and infielders when you get on base.’ And then you tell them again.’’’
McGee, citing how manager Whitey Herzog allowed him to keep his unique hitting style, which often involved him swinging at low balls out of the strike zone, said he doesn’t try to “mess†with young players’ hitting approaches. “I don’t care if he’s standing on his head,†said McGee. “If he’s hitting line drives, get away from me.â€
