2008 Woodie Awards
From The Cheap Seats
Cardinals were built for this
Nick Schimmer/Muleskinner
Issue date: 10/5/06 Section: Sports
- Page 1 of 2 next >
As the final weeks of the regular season in Major League Baseball drew to a close, a red flag went up in St. Louis.
Fans were ready to burn down the city, and the talking heads on sports radio were calling for Tony LaRussa's job as the Redbirds headed toward one of the most monumental collapses in sports history.
With 12 games left to play in the regular season, the
Cardinals held a six-game lead over the Cincinnati Reds, and an eight-game advantage over the Houston Astros. After dropping four games in Houston and two-of-three to the San Diego Padres, the Cardinals saw its lead dip to 1.5 games. As late as Friday, analysts on TV were talking about who would play the Astros in the playoffs. Things were looking pretty bleak in St. Louis.
It took a Houston loss on the final day of the regular season to ensure a birth in the playoffs for the boys in red, and despite the increase in stress level in the Gateway City, the Cardinals returned to where they belong, in the playoffs as the National League Central Champions.
My only question is, what was all the fuss about?
The Cardinals assumed first place June 9, and at no point did the squad relinquish that position.
Despite three losing streaks of eight losses or more and every person other than the bat boy spending time on the disabled list, the Cardinals hung tough, with a combination of skill and luck down the stretch, to win the division. Sometimes it is better to be lucky than good.
Fast forward to today. The Cardinals went out Tuesday and dominated the Padres in the first game of the Divisional Series, much like they did last year, in typical Cardinal fashion. Chris Carpenter was dominant; and Albert Pujols delivered a two-run bomb that put the game away.
From top-to-bottom the Cardinals have as much talent as anybody not named the Yankees, and finally when it matters the most, that talent is on display. Tuesday's line up featured the likes of Jim Edmonds and David Eckstein, both of whom missed significant time down the stretch with injuries.
Fans were ready to burn down the city, and the talking heads on sports radio were calling for Tony LaRussa's job as the Redbirds headed toward one of the most monumental collapses in sports history.
With 12 games left to play in the regular season, the
Cardinals held a six-game lead over the Cincinnati Reds, and an eight-game advantage over the Houston Astros. After dropping four games in Houston and two-of-three to the San Diego Padres, the Cardinals saw its lead dip to 1.5 games. As late as Friday, analysts on TV were talking about who would play the Astros in the playoffs. Things were looking pretty bleak in St. Louis.
It took a Houston loss on the final day of the regular season to ensure a birth in the playoffs for the boys in red, and despite the increase in stress level in the Gateway City, the Cardinals returned to where they belong, in the playoffs as the National League Central Champions.
My only question is, what was all the fuss about?
The Cardinals assumed first place June 9, and at no point did the squad relinquish that position.
Despite three losing streaks of eight losses or more and every person other than the bat boy spending time on the disabled list, the Cardinals hung tough, with a combination of skill and luck down the stretch, to win the division. Sometimes it is better to be lucky than good.
Fast forward to today. The Cardinals went out Tuesday and dominated the Padres in the first game of the Divisional Series, much like they did last year, in typical Cardinal fashion. Chris Carpenter was dominant; and Albert Pujols delivered a two-run bomb that put the game away.
From top-to-bottom the Cardinals have as much talent as anybody not named the Yankees, and finally when it matters the most, that talent is on display. Tuesday's line up featured the likes of Jim Edmonds and David Eckstein, both of whom missed significant time down the stretch with injuries.
Be the first to comment on this story