Holliday believes Cardinals can fill Pujols void
ST. LOUIS — Cardinals outfielder Matt Holliday doesn't plan to give up on the 2012 season just because three-time MVP Albert Pujols decided to leave for the Los Angeles Angels in the offseason.
As the Cardinals look to defend their World Series championship, Holliday knows he and his teammates will just have to do a little bit more to make up for the nine-time All-Star's loss.
"I think we all really have to step our games up and fill that void," Holliday said. "There's no one person we're asking to do that. Collectively, I think we can do that, and I still think we have a great team and a great chance to go where we want to go, which is back to the playoffs and back to the World Series.
"I'm disappointed (Pujols is) not coming back, but we have to move on and we have lots of very good players and lots of good guys and I think we can do it."
After a year in which he suffered a rash of fluky injuries that included having to leave a game early because a moth was stuck in his ear, Holliday hopes things will even out this year.
Things can likely only improve for the five-time All-Star, who spent time on the disabled list with a quadriceps strain and endured one of the least productive seasons of his eight-year career.
Holliday's batting average (.296) and RBI (75) were the lowest since his rookie year in 2004, and his home runs (22), runs scored (83) and doubles (36) were his lowest since 2005.
The Cardinals obviously are hoping Holliday's production improves, but they also will be looking to the slugger to become more of a leader off the field, as well. With Pujols having left and manager Tony La Russa now retired, Holliday will be one of the veterans expected to shoulder additional responsibilities in the clubhouse.
And that appears to be fine with him.
"I'm willing to do whatever it takes," Holliday said. "I've played on teams that didn't have Albert before. I've batted third before. I've played in the World Series before. I'm available for whatever is asked of me. I work for the St. Louis Cardinals, and if the job description changes and there is more asked of me, that's part of my job.
"I try to be myself, no matter who is on the team. We've got lots of really good older players that are good at leading people and are good leaders, so I think our clubhouse will be fine. . . .
"My role is to go out there and play as hard as I can and do the best that I can and offer advice where need be and be myself."
In the past, Holliday typically has retreated to areas banned to the media before and after games. But he has made himself much more accessible this offseason. He has called three St. Louis sports-talk radio shows unannounced, having done so on one occasion to defend himself after the host said he was always injured.
The target of some unfair criticism dating to a dropped flyball in the 2009 NL Division Series in Los Angeles, Holliday appears ready to change his image. As the new face of the Cardinals franchise, he's ready for whatever will come his way.
"If the situation or things call for a different scenario now or I need to be a little stronger in the leadership category or do more things for the team, " Holliday said. "I've done it before, and I can do it again."