RetroSimba

Here are 10 top facts to know about infielder Ryan Theriot, who was acquired by the Cardinals Nov. 30 from the Dodgers for pitcher Blake Hawksworth:

1. Pounds Pirates, Brewers. In his six-year major league career with the Cubs and Dodgers, Theriot has a .349 batting average (80-for-229) against Pittsburgh, with 14 doubles and 20 RBI. He’s just as good against Milwaukee: .338 batting average (80-for-237), with 16 doubles and 21 RBI.

2. Bring on the Reds. Theriot has more home runs (5) and more RBI (22) against Cincinnati than he does against any other team.

3. Decent delivery. Theriot is a .282 hitter with runners in scoring position. That’s just two points below his career batting mark.

4. Top of the order. Of the nine spots in the batting order, Theriot has hit second the most. But he’s also an acceptable leadoff batter, hitting .290 with a .338 on-base percentage from that spot.

5. Left-handers beware. A right-handed batter, Theriot has hit left-handers (.299) better than right-handers (.279).

6. Busch blues. Theriot has not hit well at Busch Stadium III. His career numbers there: .220 batting average (24-for-109, with just 3 extra-base hits) and a .267 on-base percentage. Hopefully, that had more to do with effective Cardinals pitching than it did with not liking the ballpark.

7. Ryan and Goliath. Theriot, 5-feet-11 and 175 pounds, has hit more than one home run against only one big-league pitcher: 6-foot-10, 260-pound Chris Young. Theriot has two career hits against the towering Padres free agent _ both for home runs.

8. Theriot is a terror. He hits like an all-star against these National League Central pitchers: Pat Maholm of the Pirates (.379, 5 doubles), Wandy Rodriguez of the Astros (.323, 6 doubles), Dave Bush of the Brewers (.405, 15-for-37) and Johnny Cueto of the Reds (.393, 11-for-28).

9. Theriot is terrible: Bring in a pinch-hitter for him against these pitchers because he is hitless against them: Tim Hudson of the Braves (0-for-9), Aaron Cook of the Rockies (0-for-8) and Brad Lidge of the Phillies (0-for-7).

10. Caring guy. In November, Theriot launched a celebrity golf tournament in his home state, Louisiana, to raise funds for these three organizations: the National Wildlife Foundation Gulf Oil Spill Restoration Fund; the Autism Society of Greater Baton Rouge; and the Fore! Kids Foundation (which provides underprivileged children with a chance to learn golf). Among the celebrities who participated was former Cardinals first baseman Will Clark.