RetroSimba

Looking to boost his sagging career, Felipe Lopez joined the Cardinals and benefitted from being tutored by Jose Oquendo.

On Aug. 5, 2008, Lopez signed with the Cardinals a week after being released by the Nationals.

Lopez, 28, was best suited for shortstop and second base, but he also possessed the skills to play all infield and outfield positions, much like Oquendo did for the Cardinals before becoming a coach.

Also, Lopez was a switch hitter, like Oquendo had been, and both were natives of Puerto Rico. Oquendo saw Lopez as a protege, and Lopez responded favorably to the special attention Oquendo gave him.

Traveling man

Lopez was 21 when he made his major-league debut with the Blue Jays in August 2001. He played two seasons (2001-02) with the Blue Jays before serving stints with the Reds (2003-06) and Nationals (2006-08).

His best season was 2005 when he hit .291 with 23 home runs and 85 RBI as the Reds shortstop and was named to the National League all-star team.

In July 2006, the Reds swapped Lopez to the Nationals for shortstop Royce Clayton, the former Cardinal. By 2008, Lopez had shifted to second base, but his production declined and he was batting .234 when the Nationals released him.

The 2008 Cardinals had Aaron Miles and Adam Kennedy at second base and Cesar Izturis and Brendan Ryan at shortstop, but decided to add Lopez.

Lopez said signing with the Cardinals was a “no-brainer,” the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported, and he marveled at the clubhouse atmosphere. “As soon as I walked in, I felt the energy,” Lopez said. “That inspires you … to play well.”

Mentoring program

Oquendo urged Lopez “to be more aggressive in his play defensively” and get to the ball quicker.

“He probably needs to widen his (defensive) stance a little more when he’s taking ground balls,” Oquendo said.

Oquendo also worked with Lopez on his mental approach and told him his departures from the Blue Jays, Reds and Nationals were a sign he was doing something wrong.

“For him to be bouncing from place to place in the major leagues …. Why?” Oquendo asked. “Maybe he has to change the way he approaches the game, or the way he goes about the game. There’s a key somewhere for him and hopefully we’re the key.”

Lopez got off to a fast start, batting .357 in his first nine games for the Cardinals. “Lopez was a heck of a pickup by Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak,” columnist Bernie Miklasz wrote in the Post-Dispatch. “Lopez is playing hard for the Cardinals, something he hadn’t done for a long time.”

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Lopez batted .333 for the Cardinals in August and .414 in September.

In a three-game, season-ending series versus the Reds at St. Louis. Lopez was 8-for-12 with two walks, seven runs scored and four RBI. He went 3-for-4 with a walk and three runs scored in the Cardinals’ 7-6 victory on Sept. 26 Boxscore and he was 4-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored in their 11-4 triumph on Sept. 28. Boxscore

Lopez made starts at second base (20), third base (eight), left field (seven) and shortstop (three) for the 2008 Cardinals. He also played in right field and at first base.

Lopez batted .385 for the 2008 Cardinals and his on-base percentage was .426.

Granted free agency after the season, Lopez was approached by the Cardinals about returning, the Post-Dispatch reported, but they couldn’t assure him he’d be an everyday player in 2009.

Lopez instead accepted a one-year, $3.5 million contract from the 2009 Diamondbacks. Playing primarily at second base, Lopez batted .301 for the Diamondbacks before he was acquired by the Brewers in July 2009. Lopez hit .320 for the Brewers, became a free agent after the 2009 season and signed again with the Cardinals.

The encore with St. Louis wasn’t as good for Lopez as the first time around. He hit .231 in 109 games as a Cardinals utility player in 2010 before he was released in September.

Lopez’s most memorable feat for the 2010 Cardinals may have been the scoreless inning he pitched on April 17 in a game won by the Mets, 2-1, in 20 innings at St. Louis. Boxscore