Casting characters: Cards spice up clubhouse

ST. LOUIS -- Cardinals manager Tony La Russa insists that any moves his club made this winter, it made with on-field production as priority one. If those moves happened to spice up the clubhouse mix in St. Louis, well, that was a happy accident but not an explicitly stated goal.

Still, the pattern is hard to ignore. A Cardinals organization that has always prioritized "good guys" seemed to change course by just the slightest bit this winter. It added characters -- not just hard workers or dependable veterans, but players who would add some personality to a clubhouse that some players have admitted got a bit stale in 2010.

Lance Berkman, the marquee addition of the Cards' winter, is known not only as a stand-up fellow, but a cutup as well. Ryan Theriot's enthusiasm and energy made him a fan favorite in Chicago. And Nick Punto is regarded as an outgoing fellow, too. The club hopes they can all still play. It knows they will bring some color to the clubhouse.

"It's a good question, and I was part of the process of identifying the player or pitcher that met the need," La Russa said. "And the priority was how effective they could be performing their pitcher or player [duties]. ... I think that's an added benefit that didn't have to be there. Lance, Ryan, it's an added benefit. But the reason they were so high on our list was because of the type of players on the field. The extra, yeah, it definitely adds to the vibes in the clubhouse, but that isn't where it started."

Even so, it's not just the front office who thought change was needed. Some players admitted as much, too.

"I think so," said second baseman Skip Schumaker, when asked if the personality transfusion was necessary. "I think adding a guy like Berkman, his success and his personality, was a welcomed addition for sure. And Theriot for that matter. I think it did need to happen a little bit in our clubhouse to get a different vibe, absolutely. To answer your question, I think it was much needed. Two welcome additions for sure."

Schumaker, regarded as something of a leader in his own right, was careful to make it clear that last year's clubhouse wasn't a problem. But just as there's a difference between good guys and characters, there's a difference between a mix that's not a problem and one that's a plus.

Mind you, it's not at all clear that an improved clubhouse mix actually creates more wins. Many observers and analysts -- and even players -- believe that winning creates chemistry, rather than the other way around.

"If we're winning," said Kyle Lohse, "chemistry is not an issue with that same group. It's only when the team is struggling as a whole and people are looking for reasons. I don't think we had big cliques. You guys [reporters] were in that clubhouse. Everybody got along. But when times are going tough, of course it's going to be quiet. I don't think that was any one person or two people's problem. It's just that when you win, it solves a lot of chemistry problems."

Likewise, ace Chris Carpenter downplayed the notion of clubhouse problems, choosing to emphasize the quality of the additions rather than any negatives from last season.

"We had a good clubhouse last year," Carpenter said. "Guys enjoyed being around each other. Guys pulled for everyone. There wasn't any of that [nonsense] that goes on behind the scenes. Everybody liked each other and enjoyed it. We just didn't do the things we needed to do to win. But that being said, you bring in some veteran players like Lance Berkman that's an All-Star caliber ... you're not talking about some Minor League invite."

The Cardinals did give Berkman $8 million, indicative of their view of him as a centerpiece player for 2011. They have installed Theriot as their starting shortstop. So in that sense, Carpenter is dead on. Whether they're right or not, the Redbirds believe these are players who will push them toward a championship this year.

But it's simply not an accident that every player the Cards have brought in (or, in the case of Trade Deadline acquisition Jake Westbrook, re-signed) is considered an asset "in the room." La Russa can emphasize the skill, but the club's actions speak -- and the actions were consistent in bringing in characters.

Berkman could fill the role last held by Mark DeRosa in 2009, and before that by veterans like Larry Walker and Reggie Sanders -- the guy who bridges all gaps, bringing players of different backgrounds together.

"I think when you look back at the last time we went to the playoffs, '09, Mark DeRosa, even though he was injured and didn't get to play up to the standards that he would have played at, still made a huge impact inside our clubhouse," said Carpenter's co-ace, Adam Wainwright. "And when you have team chemistry, you play better. I'm not saying we didn't have team chemistry last year, but something was missing. And with the addition of Lance and Ryan Theriot, we're going to be in really good shape as far as that goes."

It may not make a single win's difference in the standings in 2011, but the Cardinals would rather not take the chance.