Raised in the Boston organization and reenergized in Oakland, Moss sprinkles his quotes with sabermetrics, describing how he really bought into what Branson suggested when he stopped looking at his batting average. He described how everyday players are going to have better numbers than him — they play more, so they get more — and how RBIs are swell but need teammates on base.

“On base and slugging. One base and slugging,” he said. “I think those things are just ingrained in me.”

WHAT’S NEXT?

At 32, Moss could hit the market at the end of this season and head for the largest contract of his career, his salary skyrocketing from this year’s $8.25 million. Cards general manager John Mozeliak said the organization is “open to having Brandon back.”

Moss described how part of being himself and knowing himself as a hitter is also recognizing a fit for both. During the dugout interview he said a fear about free agency he’s shared with his wife is landing that whopper deal and then “I don’t want to be that guy that’s hampering a team with a contract. You don’t want to be that guy that everybody talks about like, ‘Can you believe we pay that guy that much money because he stinks?’”

He then paused.