Mozeliak puts offseason emphasis on defense

ST. LOUIS — As laid out by general manager John Mozeliak in an end-of-season news conference on Wednesday, the Cardinals will seek to improve defensively and to inject added athleticism on the position-player side as the club retools for 2017.

Mozeliak acknowledged that in building a more prolific offensive club this past year, the Cardinals sacrificed too much on the run-prevention side. The defense became a liability at times, and it added stress to a pitching staff that, consequently, had underwhelming collective results.

Priorities have changed now, and after falling one win short of a National League Wild Card spot, the Cardinals have turned their attention to stabilizing things in the field. Their search will start among center fielders, as adding an above-average defender in center could upgrade the outfield defense in two spots. That’s because it would allow Randal Grichuk to shift to left field, where he projects to be an above-average defensive fit.

This year, the Cardinals ranked 14th among National League teams with -10 Defensive Runs Saved and a -13.4 Defensive Runs Above Average value by their left fielders. Grichuk, as a center fielder, recorded seven Defensive Runs Saved and posted a Defensive Runs Above Average value of -0.3.

The Cardinals, after watching Grichuk hit .275/.303/.579 with an .881 OPS after returning to the Majors in mid-August, are also …

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