“Might not be despite the lineup changes. It might be because of them,” he said in his office last week, some of the future lineup options written nearby. “Keeping guys hot and fresh and we kind of resolved to the fact that early on this is a different roster that we have. We’re going to have to use guys. It’s a National League-style club. Bouncing guys all over the place. Using them in different spots. Keeping them engaged in the game and ready.”

• WHO'S BATTING WHERE? See list at bottom of this story

Hazelbaker had not been in most of the lineups that Matheny wrote for Sunday’s finale at Dodger Stadium, the one game of the three the Cardinals won.

On Saturday, the rookie forced his way into it with a pinch-hit home run. He has hit at least twice in four different spots in the order. Likewise, Randal Grichuk has bounced around with starts in four different spots, and at least five starts at cleanup, No. 5, and No. 6 in the lineup. The daily rotation of hitters — governed by matchups, handedness, and Matheny’s gut feel – has resulted in 11 different batters getting at least 74 at-bats so far this season.

No other team in the majors has as many with more than 70.