Remembering the St. Louis Cardinals of Yesteryear
After just one season as a major-league starting pitcher, it was already becoming clear that Adam Wainwright was destined to become a cornerstone of the Cardinals’ starting rotation. On March 20, 2008, the Cardinals made it official, signing Wainwright to a four-year, $15 million contract extension with a two-year team option that ultimately made the…
The Los Angeles Angels offered a starting job in a new franchise. In Milwaukee, where he had won the World Series in 1957, there was an offer to join the coaching staff. At age 38, however, Red Schoendienst was eager to return home to St. Louis. After receiving his unconditional release from Milwaukee and turning…
With less than three weeks remaining before their March 31 season opener, the 2008 Cardinals were quickly running out of healthy starting pitchers. Mark Mulder was rehabbing from shoulder surgery. Chris Carpenter was working his way back from elbow surgery. Joel Pineiro was questionable with shoulder stiffness and Matt Clement had yet to pitch since…
When Allen Craig signed a five-year, $31 million contract extension with the Cardinals ahead of the 2013 season, he appeared primed for a long career in the middle of the St. Louis lineup. Less than 17 months later, Craig was playing for the Red Sox and searching for a batting stroke he never was able…
In the days before free agency, the reserve clause gave baseball teams all the leverage in determining each player’s salary. Even the greatest Cardinal of them all, Stan Musial, wasn’t immune. On March 4, 1948, Musial ended a brief spring training holdout in which the two-time National League MVP sought a $5,000 raise from his…
Less than three months after the Cardinals lost Albert Pujols to free agency, they ensured that Yadier Molina remained a franchise cornerstone with a five-year, $75 million contract. “I’m happy to be a Cardinal for 5-6 more years,” Molina said. “This is a great organization. I grew up here, I feel good here. It was…
For years, Cardinals scouts had believed in Jose DeLeon’s potential. On February 9, 1988, the team gambled on that potential, trading center fielder Lance Johnson, left-handed pitcher Ricky Horton, and an estimated $100,000 to the White Sox to obtain the 27-year-old right-hander. Negotiations for the right-hander had begun back in back in November, but Cardinals…
After 33 years, Red Schoendienst and Stan Musial were roommates once again – this time in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. On February 28, 1989, Hall of Fame president Ed Stack called Schoendienst to share the good news that the 10-time all-star had been elected to the Hall of Fame by the veterans committee.…
Philadelphia Phillies general manager Quinn answered the phone on Wednesday, February 25, 1972, to discover his Cardinals counterpart, Bing Devine, on the other end. “Has Rick Wise signed?” Devine asked, referring to the 26-year-old right-hander who had led the Phillies in wins each of the past three seasons. Quinn answered that no, he had not…
After Pedro Guerrero retired and Andres Galarraga signed with the Rockies, the Cardinals needed to think outside the box to fill their first base vacancy. On February 12, 1993, the Cardinals announced that they had traded outfielder Felix Jose and utility infielder Craig Wilson to the Royals for infielder Gregg Jefferies and minor-league outfielder Ed…