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Feisty Vina Is Ready To Start Season Right Now
Rick Hummel of the Post-Dispatch
March 26, 2001
Fernando Vina reached base 38 percent of the time as the Cardinals' leadoff man last season. If he would repeat that and if he remains healthy, it could translate to 100 runs scored.
"Easy," Vina said Sunday.
Vina, the Cards second baseman, was injured for the first part of this spring's camp but his irritated heel has calmed itself now. He was, in theory, at his table-setting best Sunday, twice singling to lead off an inning. But Dodgers righthander Darren Dreifort gave up only those two hits in six innings and Los Angeles relievers allowed just one more walk and no hits in a 10-0 romp.
"If I'm getting on, it shouldn't happen like that," Vina said. "Nine times out of 10, the guys behind are going to get hits."
If Vina gets on base twice in a regular-season game, he probably will score at least once. This spring he has been on base five times with walks, has been hit once and has seven hits in 20 trips to the plate. His on-base percentage is a whopping .650, so it is little wonder that Vina say s he is ready for the season to start.
"I wish it would start tomorrow," Vina said. "As long as my stroke is short ... I don't need that many games. A week of seeing pitches is all you need."
Wanting to show that his heel is pain-free, Vina tagged up at first base in the first inning after Edgar Renteria's fly to right and made it to second safely.
"I wanted to make it a game situation," he said.
But manager Tony La Russa wishes Vina would be less bold in exhibitions.
"We need him to stay in the lineup," La Russa said. "That's a good game play during the regular season."
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
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