My wonderful friend Heather and her fiance had an extra ticket to the game today and invited me to go along. It was the first time I've been to a Cardinals v. Cubs game. The tickets for these series sell out quickly, so I've never been able to go in the past. It was a fun time. Unfortunately the Cardinals lost, but that's okay. We all know that the Cubs are Completely Useless By September. We can drop a few games to the lovable losers; the team that hasn't won a World series in 99 years. I did get to see Puj-daddy go Jimmy-Jack (Pujols hit a home run), so that was cool. The seats were nice and the day was beautiful. I hope I make it to a few more games this season. I love being downtown and I love the new Busch Stadium. I took a few pictures and posted them up on my Flickr page.
Why do I feel like an All Star? Because I'm preparing myself for 2009. What's up with 2009? Well, that just happens to be the year the great city of St. Louis hosts Major League Baseball's All Star game! It will be great for St. Louis, Cardinal fans, and sports fans in general. 2007 just got here and already I can't wait for 2009.
"There can't be a better baseball town in America," Commissioner Bud Selig said.
This story originally appeared Nov. 2 in the satirical online newspaper The Onion.
ST. LOUIS — Calling Friday night's victory on baseball's grandest stage "a terrible mistake," members of the St. Louis Cardinals issued a formal apology for making the playoffs, winning the World Series, and depriving baseball fans everywhere of a season featuring the kind of heartwarming, storybook ending to which they have grown accustomed in recent years.
"I'm still struggling to understand how this could have happened," said a sober Tony La Russa during a press conference following Game 5. "It seemed all but certain coming into this series that we were going to be a part of something truly special, that we would easily put the finishing touches on a magical season that inspired millions of fans around the country, but instead we somehow ended up winning."
"It's disappointing, to say the least," La Russa added. "We were rooting for the Detroit Tigers just like everyone else."
According to Cardinals players, they "tried absolutely everything" in their pursuit to earn the Tigers their first world championship since 1984, including eliminating the far more dangerous New York Mets in the NLCS, entering the series completely unrested after a grueling seven-game series, starting a rookie pitcher with five career wins in Game 1 in Detroit, and postponing Game 4 due to rain in the hopes that an off day would swing the momentum back in the Tigers' favor.
"I don't know what we could've done differently," second-baseman Ronnie Belliard said. "We gave the Tigers every opportunity to win ballgames, but when their pitchers keep making errors on simple ground balls, what are we supposed to do, pretend we forgot the rules and start running to third base?"
Desperate for a Tigers win in Game 2, the Cardinals chose to overlook the fact that starter Kenny Rogers was pitching with the aid of a foreign substance on his left hand.
"Of course we all knew it was pine tar, but it seemed like they were finally finding their rhythm… We certainly didn't want to shake their confidence, so we decided to just let it go," La Russa said. "Frankly, if the umpires didn't bring it up, we probably would've let him pitch with it the whole game."
After the final out of the World Series was recorded, the stunned Cardinals retreated to their dugout and watched with disappointed, glazed-over expressions as the Detroit Tigers—the feel-good team of the season whom everyone expected to win it all—packed up their equipment in the dugout across the diamond.
According to Albert Pujols, some teammates took the World Series victory harder than others.
"For a lot of young guys like [Anthony] Reyes and [Yadier] Molina, this was their first chance to see an exciting, inspirational, and truly deserving team win a championship," Pujols said. "Even though the outcome of this series has definitely left a bad taste in my mouth, I can handle it, because I was there in 2004 when we were able to see Red Sox beat us in the World Series. Man, what an incredible feeling that was… Just watching those guys celebrate, I really felt like I was seeing history unfold before my eyes. It was definitely my greatest baseball moment."
"I hope we have the chance to see something like that again next year," Pujols added.
Reporters and sportswriters around the nation were critical of many of La Russa's successful managerial decisions, second-guessing such effective moves as leaving staff ace Chris Carpenter in for more than five innings in Game 3, and failing to bench third-baseman Scott Rolen, who batted a team-high .421 in the series. La Russa, however, said that things would be different next year.
"I think I speak for my players, the front office, the coaching staff, and every fan in St. Louis when I say that all season long, we had just one goal: bringing a championship to the great city of Detroit," La Russa said. "And even though we failed this time around, we will be committed to achieving similar goals next season."
In the somber clubhouse following the victory, Cardinals centerfielder Jim Edmonds admitted that "the wrong team won," but said that the outcome of the 2006 World Series is "just something we're unfortunately going to have to live with."
"Nobody thought we could do this, nobody thought we could stop this powerhouse team that beat the odds to go from worst to first and rolled through the playoffs looking like they were invincible," Edmonds said. "And we thought we had taken every possible step to prove them right."
"We shocked the world," Edmonds added. "We're sorry."
For the second time in three years the Cardinals are going to the World Series. Congrats to the team! Let's bring home a championship in the first season in the new stadium. This year was a tough one for the Cardinals, a team plagued by injuries. Let's see what these underdogs can do!
So I went up to Kansas City this weekend to visit my friends Matt and Anna. I went to see their new place and the Cardinals play the crappy Royals. I hadn't seen them since their wedding at the end of March so it was nice seeing them. I had a great time there. Kansas City can never compare to the superior St. Louis, but they try. The Cardinals did of course sweep the Royals. That's right. Royals suck! I got to see 2 Pujols home runs (he hit 3 in the series). Also on Friday night a guy jumped into left field in nothing but his boxers and ran around left field. The batboy tackled him and security ran to the field to take the guy off. That was the funniest thing I have ever seen at a game. I also got to see my friend Nate at Friday night's game. That was nice as I haven't seen him for a long time. I also got a $30 pair of shoes from an Adidas store and saw The Da Vinci Code (which was good, but not nearly as good as the book). Overall, the weekend was great. It felt good to get out for a while. Thanks again to Matt and Anna for their hospitality and great brownies.
This was stolen from Mike Goodspeed. It's rather brilliant, I think.
(13:21:20) Karen: BASEBALL!!
(13:21:20) Mike : Sorry, I ran out for a bit!
(13:21:26) Karen: I LOVE BASEBALL
(13:21:35) Karen: BASEBALL DAY!
(13:21:37) Karen: WOO!
(17:58:55) Mike: and the lord said
(17:58:55) Karen : you’ve got to be kidding me…
(17:58:59) Mike: let there be baseball
(17:59:03) Mike: and the people were happy
(17:59:05) Mike: and he said
(17:59:27) Mike: I bring you bishops and popes, but i’m really a fan of the cardinals
(17:59:39) Mike: and the seats were lined with red
(18:02:13) Mike: and he gave us his son to redeem ourselves and to sacrifice himself for our sins
(18:02:36) Mike: and his cousin Albert, for whom shall be a god among men
(18:02:45) Mike: and the people thanked him
(18:03:22) Mike: and the lord said
(18:04:11) Mike: blessed are thee that honor thy name or possibly can pitch to the outside corner
(18:07:16) Mike: and he said “Though you may walk through the valley of shadows, or to first base, you shall always do so with Ecksteinian speed.”
(18:07:18) Mike: in his name
(18:07:19) Mike: Amen
In St. Louie. That's right. We have 6 tickets to a Cardinals game in the new stadium. What's even better is it's in an indoor/outdoor suite with all the food, soda, and beer, yes beer, you could possibly want. The cost? Well, let's not think of it in terms of money, but instead, in terms of memories. Now that my friends, is priceless. I'm excited.
Congrats go to one of the best players in the game, Albert Pujols. Today it was announced he won the National League Most Valuable Player Award.
In finally winning the National League's Most Valuable Player Award, it may appear that Albert Pujols has reached the pinnacle. After a Rookie of the Year trophy, numerous other citations and a slew of close-but-not-quite MVP candidacies, finally he has been recognized as the man in the Senior Circuit. Read More from MLB.
Congrats goes to Cardinals Ace Chris Carpenter. It was announced today that Carpenter won the NL Cy Young Award. He is the first Cardinal to do so since Bob Gibson. Carpenter had a great season with a 21-5 record. He was the first Cardinal to win 20 games since Matt Morris in 2001. With 213 strikeouts, he was the first Cardinal since Jose DeLeon in 1989 to strike out more than 200 batters. Read the story from StL Today.
MVN has a great article about Walt Jocketty, Cardinals free-agents, and what type of team Jocketty would like to see next season.
It’s that time of the year once again.
The time when players file for free agency, the time when rosters turn over at a 25-50% clip.
The time of the year when the General Managers of major league baseball teams earn their money.
Due to the high volume of player movement that now occurs on an annual basis, the moves the GMs make,or don’t make, during the offseason play a HUGE role in where their teams finish the next year.
Fortunately for the Cardinals and their fans, St. Louis has one of the best (and maybe THE best) in Walt Jocketty.
Oh, the media spills a lot of ink and blows a lot of smoke about Billy Beane, Brian Cashman, Theo Epstein, etc. but it’s Jocketty’s Cardinals who have led Major League Baseball in wins in each of the last two seasons, winning 105 games in 2004 and racking up 100 wins again this year.
Appropriately, Jocketty has been named MLB’s Executive of the Year twice in the past four years.
Still, yesterday’s news is just that and nothing more and it’s time for Jocketty to work his offseason magic once again if he wants to keep his Redbirds on their lofty perch.
It might be a little tougher to do this time. The Cardinals have even more free agents this season (11) than they did last year and many of them won’t be returning.
The core of the National League’s best team returns though led by superstar first baseman Albert Pujols, third baseman Scott Rolen, centerfielder Jim Edmonds, catcher Yadier Molina, shortstop David Eckstein, starting pitching aces Chris Carpenter and Mark Mulder, talented young pitcher Brad Thompson, and closer Jason Isringhausen.
Top prospect Anthony Reyes (who pitched brilliantly in his major league debut - a late season start and win against Milwaukee) is set to join the Cards’ 2006 starting rotation.
That’s 10 (just 40%) roster spots filled for next year’s Cardinals. And they’re filled by VERY talented players.
The kind of players that have all those pennants flying in the Cards’ home park.
As to who will be joining those 10 on next year’s 25 man roster, all bets are off.
Jocketty has said he would like to add speed and power to the team and have a younger roster next season. That may not be good news for free agents Reggie Sanders and Mark Grudzielanek who aren’t exactly spring chickens any more.
And Matt Morris has likely pitched his last game for the Redbirds. One of the winningest pitchers in baseball with 80 wins over the last five seasons, Morris will probably be offered more on the free agent market than the Cardinals will offer.
Reliever Ray King has asked to be traded and he will be. Another reliever, free agent Julian Tavarez, probably
won’t be retained either.
With most (if not all) of these players on their way out of St. Louis, Jocketty has a great deal of payroll flexibility as he prepares to fill in the roster via trades and free agent signings.
It’s going to be a VERY interesting offseason Cards’ fans.
Jocketty is getting ready to re-shuffle his Cards once again.
Cardinals swept the Padres in the first round of the playoffs last night. It was a nail biter until the very end, as it has been with the Cardinals all season long it seems. I cannot wait for Wednesday. My dad and I have tickets to the game at Busch Stadium Wednesday night. This will be the first game I have been to all season. I usually try to go to a few games, but I did not have time this summer. There is no better time to go than during the playoffs. I'm really looking forward to it. Let's hope they get to the World Series again, and this time win. I also hope the Yankees lose tonight and get eliminated from further post season play.
As I sat reading Buzz Bissinger and Tony La Russa's 3 Nights in August I began thinking of the phenomenon that is Cardinals Nation. Growing up, you hear those familiar questions: Where were you when JFK was shot? (not born yet) or when 9/11 happened (getting ready for my Anthropology class in college). We, the Cardinal Nation have different questions, and not just the familiar "Where'd you go to high school?" (Fort Zumwalt South). Our questions deal with the team we have come to worship. Where were you when Mark McGwire hit number 62? (sitting in my family room with my parents). The question that got me started on this little rant was "Where were you when Daryl Kyle died?" I remember this one vividly. I was at work at the time, and a coworker came and told me. I was shocked and saddened, but what I saw was something else. What I saw was just how deep the Cardinal Nation feeling really goes. If you would have talked, or even looked, at my coworker you would think a close relative died. I remember him calling his wife and telling her. That's when I realized how deep Cardinal blood runs. Two tragedies happened that week, with the passing of DK and Jack Buck. People talk about how united the country was after 9/11, but I say, there is nothing like the unison that comes about through the Cardinal Nation, whether it be the deaths of two legends or taking a trip to the World Series. United we stand, but there is no dividing us. We are Cardinals fans.
For the second time in three years the Cardinals are going to the World Series. Congrats to the team! Let's bring home a championship in the first season in the new stadium. This year was a tough one for the Cardinals, a team plagued by injuries. Let's see what these underdogs can do!
