As a native of Brighton, Illinois, Jason Isringhausen was well aware of the Cardinals’ storied history when he was considering his options as a free agent following the 2001 season. Playing upon that knowledge – and Isringhausen’s respect for the stars who came before him – St. Louis manager Tony La Russa made it a …
Why Jason Isringhausen turned down more money to sign with the Cardinals Read More »
With one swing of the bat against Astros closer Brad Lidge, Albert Pujols won the game and extended the Cardinals’ season (and the life of Busch Stadium III) by a game. He may even have broken Lidge in the process. On October 17, 2005, Pujols’ ninth-inning home run off the Astros’ dominant closer gave the …
Did Albert Pujols break Brad Lidge in the 2005 NLCS? Read More »
After placing second in 2002 and 2003 and finishing third in the balloting in 2004, Albert Pujols finally won the first MVP Award of his career on November 15, 2005. Though in previous years Pujols had dismissed the importance of individual recognition in a team game, he admitted that on the eve of the Baseball …
How Albert Pujols won his first NL MVP Award in 2005 Read More »
Bobby Bonilla may have twice finished in the top three of the National League MVP voting, but to many Cardinals fans, his greatest legacy may lie in the six games he missed at the beginning of the 2001 season. On January 5, 2001, Cardinals general manager Walt Jocketty signed Bonilla Bonilla to a one-year, $900,000 …
When the St. Louis Cardinals named John Mozeliak the 12th general manager in franchise history on October 31, 2007, the 38-year-old made two things clear: first, that everything he did would be about helping the Cardinals win. Secondly, that he planned to be aggressive in free agency and the trade market to make that happen. …
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In 2001, Tino Martinez was so eager to come to St. Louis that he called Walt Jocketty to be sure the Cardinals’ general manager knew he was available – and interested. “I approached them and asked them to consider me in their plans, if I’d fit in,” Martinez said. “‘My agent will be in Boston. …
Why Tino Martinez disappointed in two seasons with the Cardinals Read More »
When the Cardinals signed Chris Carpenter, they hoped to add depth for the second half of the 2003 season. Instead, they discovered an ace for their 2006 and 2011 World Series championships. The 6-foot-6, 230-pound righthander was drafted by the Blue Jays 15th overall in the first round of the 1993 draft out of Trinity …
How the Cardinals signed future Cy Young Award winner Chris Carpenter Read More »
The pitching matchup between Cardinals starter Jeff Weaver and Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander certainly appeared lopsided on paper. But in Game 5 of the 2006 World Series, Weaver outpitched that season’s American League Rookie of the Year, needing just 99 pitches to get through eight innings in a 4-2 win that clinched the 10th world …
Hours after becoming the third player in Cardinals history to hit his 300th career home run wearing the birds on the bat, Jim Edmonds returned to the clubhouse at Busch Stadium and discovered a voicemail from a man who had become synonymous with home run milestones – Mark McGwire. “He said, ‘Congratulations, you only need …
September 4, 2004: Jim Edmonds hits his 300th career home run Read More »
Less than a year after celebrating the 2006 World Series championship with his teammates, Juan Encarnacion’s career was cut short when he was struck by a foul ball while standing in the on-deck circle awaiting his opportunity to pinch-hit. By the time he came to the Cardinals, Encarnacion was a veteran outfielder who already had …
August 31, 2007: Juan Encarnacion suffers career-ending eye injury Read More »
