When fans learned the Cardinals were bringing back hitting coach Jeff Albert, many had the same reaction.
“Well, sure, why not? The team did so well offensively this season!”
But seriously, the Cardinals hit the fewest homers and scored the third-fewest runs in the majors. Their .694 on-base-plus-slugging percentage was fifth-worst.
And still the Cardinals tripled down on Albert, giving him a third chance after two dismal campaigns.
Fans are understandably peeved. Albert returned to the Cardinals organization from the Houston Astros, who arguably owed some of their success to sign-stealing. He wasn’t implicated in the scandal, but that stain spread across that organization.