Duncan’s path to the major leagues was anything but immediate. Drafted by St. Louis in the first round (46th overall) in 1999, he carried both the expectations of a high pick and the added scrutiny of being the son of longtime Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan. While his last name opened doors, it also raised questions.

Duncan’s climb through the minor leagues was steady but unspectacular, and he spent parts of six seasons refining his power and approach. By 2005, he had reached Triple-A Memphis, where he hit 21 home runs and earned a late-season call-up to the majors. His first exposure to big league pitching was brief, but it included a moment that would later feel symbolic – his home run on October 2, 2005, which stood as the final regular-season home run ever hit at Busch Memorial Stadium.

When the 2006 season began, Duncan was not expected to play a central role on a club built around stars like Albert Pujols. However, injuries and inconsistency plagued the roster, and by midseason the team was searching for answers, particularly in left field and near the top of the batting order.

That search ultimately led to Duncan, who initially struggled to establish himself after being recalled but soon found his footing in dramatic fashion. Over just 90 games, he hit 22 home runs and posted a .293/.363/.589 slash line, emerging as one of the most dangerous power hitters in baseball. Among players with at least 75 at-bats, only David Ortiz and Ryan Howard hit home runs more frequently.

The timing of that production mattered as much as the production itself. Before Duncan’s emergence, the Cardinals lacked stability in the No. 2 spot in the lineup and consistent output from left field. Once inserted ahead of Pujols, Duncan immediately changed the equation. Pitchers, wary of giving Pujols additional opportunities, often chose to challenge Duncan instead, and he responded with an aggressive, confident approach that punished mistakes. He hit .290 from the No. 2 spot, with nearly 30 percent of his hits going for home runs, while also improving his on-base percentage and helping set the table for the middle of the order.

Duncan’s surge coincided with the Cardinals’ late-season push. He hit 19 of his 22 home runs after the All-Star break, providing the kind of sustained power the lineup had been missing for months. What had once been a glaring weakness became a strength, and a team that had struggled to generate offense suddenly found a reliable source of run production. In many ways, Duncan’s emergence stabilized a roster that had been in danger of falling out of contention entirely.

“Where would the Cardinals be without Chris Duncan?” wrote St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Bernie Miklasz. “Left field was a crater until he filled it. The No. 2 hole in the lineup was a weak spot until he stepped in.”

By the end of the regular season, Duncan’s presence had transformed both the lineup and the team’s outlook, turning a struggling club into one capable of competing in October. When the postseason arrived, he recorded just three hits in 22 at-bats and experienced defensive struggles that occasionally proved costly. Yet even in October, he delivered important moments, including a home run in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets, extending a crucial lead in a series-clinching victory.

Ultimately, the Cardinals defeated the Detroit Tigers in five games to capture the World Series title, completing one of the more unexpected championship runs in franchise history.

Without Duncan’s midseason surge, the Cardinals likely would not have reached October at all. That reality underscores the unique nature of his contribution: he was not the star of the postseason, but he was one of the primary reasons the team had the opportunity to compete for a title.

“My favorite comment to make to Cardinals fans is that every time they enjoy that 2006 championship, they should realize that without Chris’ production when we had all those guys hurt, we wouldn’t have gotten in,” Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. “He was a tough-as-nails competitor, afraid of nothing.”

Duncan’s value extended beyond his offensive production. He embodied many of the traits associated with Cardinals baseball, including resilience, competitiveness, and a willingness to embrace any role asked of him. Despite frequent criticism of his defense, he worked to improve in the outfield and became more reliable through effort and repetition.

By 2007, he had reduced his errors significantly while maintaining his offensive output, hitting 21 home runs and driving in 70 runs over 127 games. Teammates and coaches consistently praised his toughness, with La Russa describing it as “off the charts,” a reflection of Duncan’s approach to the game and his refusal to yield in difficult situations.

Unfortunately, injuries soon altered the trajectory of his career. A sports hernia in 2007 was followed by more serious issues in 2008, including a herniated cervical disk that required surgery and ended his season. Although he returned in 2009, his performance declined, and he was eventually traded to the Boston Red Sox before finishing his professional career in the minor leagues. Over five seasons with the Cardinals, he compiled 55 home runs and a .805 OPS, numbers that reflected his value as a power hitter even as injuries limited his longevity.

After his playing career, Duncan transitioned into broadcasting, becoming a popular radio host in St. Louis. His personality – marked by humor, honesty, and a willingness to be self-critical – resonated with listeners and helped him build a second career connected to the game he loved. In many ways, his broadcasting style mirrored his playing style: authentic, unfiltered, and grounded in effort rather than pretense.

Duncan passed away in 2019 after a long battle with brain cancer, leaving behind a legacy that extended beyond his time on the field. For the Cardinals organization and its fans, his impact is most closely tied to that remarkable 2006 season, when he emerged as an unlikely but indispensable contributor to a championship team.

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Born October 17, 1970, in Chesapeake City, Maryland, Mabry graduated from Bohemia Manor High School before playing three seasons of Division I baseball at West Chester University of Pennsylvania. There, he emerged as a prototype multi-position defender with a developing bat. The Cardinals selected him in the sixth round of the 1991 amateur draft, launching a professional career that ultimately spanned 14 major league seasons.

Mabry made his major league debut on April 23, 1994, against Houston, collecting his first career hit—a double—and driving in a run while playing right field. Though he appeared in only six games that season, he hit .304 and positioned himself for a larger role. That opportunity arrived in 1995, when he became the Cardinals’ primary first baseman and one of the National League’s most productive rookies. He batted .307 with a .347 on-base percentage but slugged only .405, reinforcing the early assessment of him as a hitter for average rather than power. Of his 119 hits that year, 92 were singles. Even so, he finished fourth in Rookie of the Year voting, establishing himself as a dependable everyday presence.

His most complete season followed in 1996, a pivotal year for both Mabry and the Cardinals. Under manager Tony La Russa, St. Louis captured the National League Central Division title and advanced to the National League Championship Series. Mabry logged career highs in games (151) and at-bats (543), led the club with 161 hits, and added 30 doubles, two triples, 13 home runs, and 74 RBIs while hitting .297 with a .342 on-base percentage. Defensively, he ranked among the National League’s most reliable first basemen with a .994 fielding percentage, complementing a lineup anchored by Ray Lankford, Brian Jordan, and Gary Gaetti.

Mabry’s signature Cardinals moment came on May 18, 1996, at Coors Field. Entering the game with only one career triple and six home runs, he was an unlikely candidate to hit for the cycle. Yet he opened the second inning with a single, doubled down the right-field line in the fourth, tripled over the head of Rockies center fielder Larry Walker in the fifth, and capped the night with a two-run homer in the seventh. The feat made him just the 18th Cardinal in franchise history to hit for the cycle and the first since Lankford in 1991. Mabry admitted afterward that he had not even realized what he had accomplished, believing teammates were simply congratulating him on the home run.

His offensive growth continued in 1997 under hitting coach George Hendrick, who encouraged him to attack first-pitch fastballs. From May 19 through June 9, Mabry compiled a 20-game hitting streak, batting .418 and raising his average from .240 to .309. The streak, which included 10 multi-hit games, was the longest by a Cardinal since Willie McGee in 1990. During that stretch, La Russa remarked that Mabry was “seeing that ball like it’s huge,” while Mabry characteristically deflected the praise.

After the 1998 season, Mabry became a free agent and signed with the Seattle Mariners on December 30, 1998. His departure marked the end of his first Cardinals chapter. He was later traded by Seattle to the San Diego Padres in July 2000 and granted free agency that October.

In January 2001, Mabry returned to St. Louis on a free-agent contract, rejoining the organization that had drafted and developed him. However, his reunion proved brief. Just days into the season, the Cardinals faced a roster squeeze. Veteran Bobby Bonilla was returning from the disabled list, and the club was determined to keep rookie first baseman Albert Pujols on the major league roster rather than send him to the minors. With limited flexibility, the Cardinals sent Mabry to the Florida Marlins on April 9, 2001, for cash considerations.

Mabry continued his career with the Marlins, Philadelphia Phillies, Oakland Athletics, and a return stint with Seattle before signing again with St. Louis prior to the 2004 season. That third Cardinals chapter proved meaningful. Transitioning into a highly valued bench role, Mabry hit 13 home runs in part-time duty for the 2004 club that won the National League pennant. Though the Cardinals were swept in the World Series, Mabry’s veteran presence and left-handed power provided depth to a roster loaded with star talent.

He returned again in 2005, serving primarily as a pinch-hitter and finishing the season batting .265 in that role. In total, Mabry played eight seasons with St. Louis across three stints (1994–98, 2001, and 2004–05), hitting .281 with 53 home runs and 272 RBIs while wearing the Birds on the Bat—18 points above his .263 career average. Over 14 major league seasons, he accumulated 898 hits, 96 home runs, and 446 RBIs while also playing for the Mariners, Padres, Marlins, Phillies, Athletics, Cubs, and Rockies.

After his playing career, Mabry spent a season as a television analyst before returning to the Cardinals in 2012 as assistant hitting coach under manager and former teammate Mike Matheny. He was promoted to hitting coach later that season and helped guide Cardinals offenses through multiple postseason runs, including a National League pennant in 2013. His coaching philosophy emphasized preparation, situational awareness, and attacking hittable pitches: principles shaped by his own development under La Russa and Hendrick.

Mabry remained with the Cardinals until 2018 and later held coaching roles with the Kansas City Royals, Miami Marlins, and Baltimore Orioles. In November 2025, he became assistant hitting coach for the Los Angeles Angels.

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When Franklin signed with the club, the defending World Series champions’ rotation was in flux. With Jason Marquis (Cubs), Jeff Suppan (Brewers), and Jeff Weaver (Mariners) signing elsewhere that offseason, and Mark Mulder expected to miss at least the first half of the 2007 season with rotator cuff surgery, the Cardinals needed starting pitching.

On January 24, 2007, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that ace Chris Carpenter, Kip Wells, and Anthony Reyes would enter the season in the first three spots in the rotation, while Braden Looper, Adam Wainwright, Brad Thompson, and Franklin would compete for the final two jobs.[1]

Two weeks later, however, the competition appeared to be even more wide open, as the Post-Dispatch reported that Reyes, Wainwright, Looper, Franklin, Thompson, and left-handed pitchers Troy Cate and Chris Narveson were competing for three open rotation spots.[2]

“We have a lot of openings in the rotation, but we have a lot of candidates also,” Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. said. “This is a year where young guys have an opportunity to step up and show they can be productive. We’ve got young pitchers in the minor leagues as starters and in the major leagues as relievers. It’s their opportunity.”[3]

That opportunity was part of what drew Franklin to St. Louis, his fourth organization in less than 12 months.

“My heart is being a starter,” he said.[4]

A 23^rd-round Mariners selection in the 1992 draft, Franklin was part of Team USA’s gold medal-winning Olympic team. From 2002 through 2005, he started 106 games for Seattle, peaking with a 3.57 ERA over 212 innings in 2003.

In 2006, he signed with the Phillies and was assigned to the bullpen, where he went 1-5 with a 4.58 ERA before he was traded to Cincinnati in August. With the Reds, he was again assigned to the bullpen, where he posted a 4.44 ERA over 24 1/3 innings.

When Franklin signed with the Cardinals, he asked pitching coach Dave Duncan to help him stay aggressive late in pitch counts.

“I get ahead of hitters, no problem, but then I let them get back into the hitter’s count,” Franklin said. “I had a little different scenario than I expected last season, and it really took me until August to figure it all out. … I think I’m most beneficial to the team as a starter. If that fails, I know how to work in the bullpen.”[5]

In an STLToday.com poll that was published in the Post-Dispatch on February 13^th, 37% of fans expected Franklin to emerge as the fifth starter.[6] The following week, however, Duncan listed Carpenter, Wells, Wainwright, Reyes, and Looper as the “five guys that will get the priority.”[7]

When La Russa was asked what Duncan’s assessment may mean for Franklin, La Russa said, “You’re coming in as a little bit of an underdog.”[8]

That advantage proved too much for Franklin or any of the other candidates to overcome, as Carpenter, Wells, Wainwright, Reyes, and Looper opened the season in the starting rotation. Instead, complementing his split-finger and cut fastball with a variety of secondary pitches, Franklin emerged as a setup man to closer Jason Isringhausen.

“Most relievers have two or three pitchers; he’s got a lot more than that,” fellow reliever Russ Springer said. “Even better, he throws them all at the bottom of the zone, which means he doesn’t strike out a lot of people, but he gets a lot on the ground.”[9]

Franklin was so successful as a setup man that in July, the Cardinals signed him to a two-year, $5 million extension with an option for 2010. The contract called for Franklin to receive $2.25 million in 2008 and $2.5 million in 2009, with a team option worth $2.75 million for 2010. If the Cardinals chose not to exercise their option for 2010, they owed Franklin a $250,000 buyout.[10]

The contract included incentives for making at least 20 starts in a season, but ultimately, Franklin proved most valuable in the bullpen. He never started a game for the Cardinals.

“As a starter, it didn’t really start getting exciting until the fifth or sixth,” he said. “Now, every time I come in, it seems like I’ve got a little extra.”[11]

Franklin finished the 2007 season with a 3.04 ERA over 80 innings.

“I’m not giving myself a lot of credit, but I’m giving him a lot of credit for asking me and talking relief with me,” Springer said. “Now I think he’s comfortable in that role, and I’m not sure he’d want to start now.”[12]

In May 2008, with Jason Isringhausen struggling, Franklin became the Cardinals’ closer.

“It’s not going to be any different than the job I’ve been doing, really,” he said. “I have to get three outs under pressure. It just changes when I start getting ready.”[13]

Franklin saved 17 games for the Cardinals that season. In 2009, he saved a career-high 38 games, posted a 1.92 ERA, and was named to the All-Star Game at Busch Stadium. With Franklin holding down the closer’s role, the Cardinals won the National League Central.

“I think he appreciates being here in St. Louis,” general manager John Mozeliak said. “We took a chance on him back then, and he’s made the most of it. … We’re fortunate to have him. It’s one of those things that works out well for everyone.”[14]

On September 1, 2009, Franklin signed another extension with the Cardinals, this time for two years and $6.5 million. In 2010, he went 6-2 with a 3.46 ERA and 27 saves.

The following year, however, he never found his footing, posting an 8.46 ERA in 21 appearances and losing the closer’s job. He was released in June and retired that December with 62 career wins and 84 saves over a 12-year career. Upon his retirement, Franklin was named a special assistant to the general manager.[15]

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[1] Joe Strauss, “Cards await Weaver’s decision,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, January 24, 2007.

[2] Derrick Goold, “Casting Call,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, February 11, 2007.

[3] Joe Strauss, “DeWitt insists Cardinals made fair offer to Weaver,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, February 1, 2007.

[4] Derrick Goold, “Casting Call,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, February 11, 2007.

[5] Derrick Goold, “Casting Call,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, February 11, 2007.

[6] “The Poll,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, February 13, 2007.

[7] Joe Strauss, “In a rarity, La Russa differs with Duncan,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, February 19, 2007.

[8] Joe Strauss, “In a rarity, La Russa differs with Duncan,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, February 19, 2007.

[9] Joe Strauss, “Franklin finds comfort in Cards’ bullpen,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 8, 2007.

[10] Joe Strauss, “Franklin finds comfort in Cards’ bullpen,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 8, 2007.

[11] Joe Strauss, “Franklin finds comfort in Cards’ bullpen,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 8, 2007.

[12] Joe Strauss, “Franklin finds comfort in Cards’ bullpen,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 8, 2007.

[13] Derrick Goold, “Cards Notes,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 17, 2008.

[14] Joe Strauss, “Franklin has All-Star hopes,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 28, 2009.

[15] Joe Strauss, “Cards invite Edmonds to participate in camp,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, February 16, 2012.

The post How Ryan Franklin became an All-Star Cardinals closer first appeared on STLRedbirds.com.

“It had to be one of the best baseball games ever played,” said Wainwright, the team’s rookie closer. “Just unbelievable tension right to the last pitch.”[1]

A Hard-Fought Game From the Start

Coming off a 4-2 loss in Game 6, Cardinals manager Tony La Russa turned to veteran starter Jeff Suppan, who had thrown eight shutout innings in a 5-0 victory in Game 3. La Russa also opted to use his sixth different lineup of the series, moving Molina from eighth to seventh in the order while dropping Ronnie Belliard to eighth.

That decision ultimately proved key to the victory.

Both teams scored early. In the first inning, David Wright singled to drive in Carlos Beltrán for a 1-0 lead. The Cardinals answered an inning later when Belliard laid down a sacrifice bunt that scored Jim Edmonds from third, tying the game 1-1.

Endy Chavez’s Incredible Catch

From there, both starting pitchers took command. Mets starter Óliver Pérez allowed just four hits through the first five innings, but trouble arose when he walked Edmonds with one out in the sixth. The free pass drew Mets manager Willie Randolph out of the dugout, and after a brief chat, Mets fans applauded when Randolph walked away, leaving his young starter in the game.

The decision almost backfired.

On the next pitch, Cardinals third baseman Scott Rolen hit a high fly ball that seemed destined for the stands. Mets left fielder Endy Chavez, however, timed his leap perfectly, pulling the ball back from over the wall and doubling off Edmonds at first base to end the inning.

“It was an unbelievable play – I thought it went over the fence,” Rolen said.[2]

“It seemed like destiny was on our side,” Mets closer Billy Wagner said.[3]

Jeff Suppan Delivers Seven Strong Innings

Suppan delivered seven strong innings, working around five walks while allowing just two hits. Across his two NLCS starts, Suppan allowed just one run on five hits in 15 innings.

“I never thought I’d be in a situation like this,” Suppan said. “We got here because we focused on what we had to focus on and we were able to persevere.”[4]

After Suppan walked Beltrán to open the eighth, La Russa called on reliever Randy Flores, who delivered in the high-pressure moment. Flores struck out Carlos Delgado and Wright before getting Shawn Green to ground out, keeping the game tied 1-1.

Yadier Molina’s Clutch Home Run

The deadlock continued into the ninth inning. Mets reliever Aaron Heilman returned to the mound for his second inning of work after a scoreless eighth. This time, however, he ran into trouble. With one out, Rolen singled to left, setting the stage for Molina.

The Cardinals’ 23-year-old catcher had hit just .216 during the regular season, but was the team’s hottest hitter during the postseason, batting .333 with two homers and a team-high seven RBIs.

His hot streak continued when Heilman hung a changeup.

“It’s great. A great feeling,” Molina said. “It’s the best moment of my life.”[5]

“I just wanted to look for my pitch and put a good swing on it,” he added. “If it’s not there, I don’t swing.”[6]

“Obviously, he’s been seeing the ball a lot better the last couple of weeks,” said Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols. “Right now, when we need him, he’s coming through with some big hits for us.”[7]

Adam Wainwright Saves the Game

For the bottom of the ninth, La Russa once again called upon Wainwright, the highly touted rookie who had inherited the closer’s job following a season-ending injury to Jason Isringhausen.

As was usual for the 2006 Cardinals, it didn’t come easy. José Valentín and Chavez each singled to open the inning. With Heilman’s place coming up in the batting order, Randolph called upon Cliff Floyd to pinch hit. Wainwright struck him out looking, then got José Reyes to line out to center. A five-pitch walk to Paul Lo Duca, however, brought Beltrán to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs.

Wainwright struck him out on three pitches, including a sharp curveball that caught Beltrán looking to end the game.

“Unbelievable. I was so happy,” Wainwright said. “When I got him 0-2, I said, ‘You know what? I’m going to make one more good pitch. One more great pitch and let’s go to the Series.’”[8]

On KTRS, former Cardinals star Mike Shannon called the final pitch: “The 0-2 delivery. Curve, struck him out looking! The Cardinals are going to Michigan to take on the Tigers! They mob, they mob Adam Wainwright on the mound! They are National League champions and headed toward Detroit as they mob the pitcher and now Yadier Molina. In come the bullpenners to pile on! The Cardinals have won this game 3-1 on a two-run home run by their catcher, Yadier Molina.”

In 2024, Wainwright replied to a social media post to explain that Molina’s pitch-calling made the strikeout possible, beginning with the first-pitch changeup that Beltrán watched for a strike.

“You can tell it kind of confused him,” Wainwright wrote. “What rookie pitcher would have the stones to throw his fourth-best pitch in that situation to start an at-bat? One that was too confident to know better and who trusted his catcher completely.”

Furthermore, the Cardinals’ scouting report said that while Beltrán would be aggressive early in the count, he would be patient the deeper he got into the at-bat.

“We knew he’d be aggressive early and in the middle of the count, but if he fell behind, (he) would be super patient based off previous at-bats against us,” Wainwright recalled. “A conversation with Yadi before the game led to the strike 3 pitch. A gamble to throw it in the zone. But homework pays off.”

That was kinda fun….

Couple things to know here:

1. People asking why he took the first pitch. That was a changeup. Masterfully called by the best defensive catcher to ever live. As fate would have it I started that in off the plate and worked it back to the inside part.

— Adam Wainwright (@UncleCharlie50) October 19, 2024

A Season Defined by Resilience

With their 90^th win of the season, the Cardinals set a date to face the Tigers in the World Series. Detroit had swept the Athletics in the ALCS earlier that week.

“It’s been a unique season because we’ve had so many ups and downs,” Cardinals general manager Walt Jocketty said. “We’ve had so many injuries, a new ballpark, uncertain how things are going to play out. Having lost (Mark) Mulder early in the year. Losing Izzy (Isringhausen) at the end. But this team continues to be resilient, bounce back, and play well.”[9]

“We’ve all had a tough year. It’s been a long year,” Edmonds said. “To get to this point, after the year we’ve had, is the most unbelievable feeling I’ve ever had.”[10]

Meanwhile, the Mets, who had won 97 games and captured their first NL East title since 1988, were left to ponder what might have been.

“It was the most disappointing thing I’ve ever been connected with,” Floyd said.[11]

“I don’t know how you can look at this as a good season,” added Wagner. “We didn’t win anything. We all expected to go to Detroit. To sit back and watch another team celebrate on our field, that’s tough.”[12]

The Cardinals carried their momentum from the NLCS into the World Series, beating the Tigers in five games and capping the series with a 4-2 win at Busch Stadium.

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[1] Bernie Miklasz, “Season of torment stays tough to the end,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 20, 2006.

[2] Joe Ostermeier, “Rolen felt the pain of hitting a home run that wasn’t,” Belleville News-Democrat, October 20, 2006.

[3] David Lennon, “For Mets, it’s a world of pain,” Newsday, October 20, 2006.

[4] Joe Ostermeier, “Molina’s ninth-inning blast seals the NLCS,” Belleville News-Democrat, October 20, 2006.

[5] Joe Ostermeier, “Molina’s ninth-inning blast seals the NLCS,” Belleville News-Democrat, October 20, 2006.

[6] Joe Ostermeier, “La Russa shifted his lineup for Game 7,” Belleville News-Democrat, October 20, 2006.

[7] Joe Ostermeier, “La Russa shifted his lineup for Game 7,” Belleville News-Democrat, October 20, 2006.

[8] Joe Ostermeier, “Molina’s ninth-inning blast seals the NLCS,” Belleville News-Democrat, October 20, 2006.

[9] Derrick Goold, “Resilient Redbirds flag down pennant,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 20, 2006.

[10] Joe Ostermeier, “Molina’s ninth-inning blast seals the NLCS,” Belleville News-Democrat, October 20, 2006.

[11] David Lennon, “For Mets, it’s a world of pain,” Newsday, October 20, 2006.

[12] David Lennon, “For Mets, it’s a world of pain,” Newsday, October 20, 2006.

The post 2006 NLCS Game 7: Cards beat Mets, clinch World Series berth first appeared on STLRedbirds.com.

Though just 23, Verlander had been the No. 2 overall draft pick just two years ago and was coming off a regular season that would earn him American League Rookie of the Year honors and a seventh-place finish in the Cy Young balloting. With a 17-9 record and 3.63 ERA, Verlander had tied veteran Kenny Rogers for the team lead in wins and had the lowest ERA in the Tigers’ starting rotation.

Meanwhile, with a 5-8 record and a 5.06 ERA in 17 regular-season starts, Reyes’ Game 1 start made him just the fifth pitcher with a losing record to open a World Series and his five regular-season wins were the fewest ever for a Game 1 starter.

After a seven-game battle with the Mets for the National League championship, the Cardinals’ top three pitchers – Chris Carpenter, Jeff Weaver, and Jeff Suppan – hadn’t had enough time to recover, leaving St. Louis manager Tony La Russa to choose between Reyes or Jason Marquis. However, since Marquis hadn’t pitched since late September, La Russa opted to go with Reyes.[1]

“We actually had a coaches’ dinner last night and each coach put down what they thought he would do,” La Russa said. “There were actually two coaches that said (he would pitch) into the eighth inning. I thought if he went five or six with low runs, he would have done a great job. So to get into the ninth inning. … you saw the Anthony Reyes we’ve seen for the prior two years. He doesn’t scare. He’s got great composure and gets it rolling.”[2]

At first, however, it looked as though the Tigers might continue the offensive success that had carried them through the American League playoffs. With one out in the first, Craig Monroe doubled to left field and Carlos Guillen singled him home to give Detroit a 1-0 lead.

Scott Rolen tied the game in the top of the second with a solo home run.

In the third inning the Cardinals broke the game open. After Yadier Molina singled, La Russa called for a hit-and-run and Molina broke for second. With Verlander’s pitch off the plate, So Taguchi was forced to literally throw the bat at the ball, resulting in a ground ball that allowed Molina to safely reach second. Had Taguchi missed, Molina likely would have been thrown out at second.

“We just didn’t feel we could score runs if we had to accumulate hits,” La Russa said. “He handles the bat really well and you try to be aggressive. He put the ball in play only because he has terrific bat control.”[3]

It proved to be a small but vital play. Two batters later, Chris Duncan stroked a two-out double into right field that scored Molina. Although first base was open, the Tigers opted to pitch to Pujols and he made them pay, blasting a two-run homer over the right-field wall to give St. Louis a 4-1 lead.

“I take the bullet there,” Leyland said. “The manager’s decision is either to pitch to him or walk him. I pitched to him and obviously he burned us.”[4]

“You don’t want to pitch around him,” Verlander said. “You want to make quality pitches. It wasn’t a horrible mistake. It was on the black, but I wanted it down and it was up. It wasn’t a bad pitch to most people, but it was a bad pitch to him.”[5]

From there, the game fell apart on the Tigers. In the sixth, they committed three errors, including one play in which third baseman Brandon Inge was charged with two errors on a single play. After Edmonds drove in a run with a single and Rolen hit a ground-rule double that put runners at second and third, Juan Encarnacion bounced a ground ball to Inge at third base.

Inge bobbled the ball before firing home to try and catch Edmonds coming to the plate. However, his throw sailed wide of catcher Ivan Rodriguez and reached the backstop. As Rolen rounded third, he collided with Inge, who was standing a few feet off the foul line. Rolen fell to the ground and though he was tagged out at the plate, he was ruled safe due to Inge’s interference.

“I was looking to see if the ball was going to bounce back (off the wall) and I was in mid-stride and suddenly he was right there,” Rolen said. “I just went over the top of him. I think I might have hit my head. I don’t really remember.”[6]

As the Cardinals took a 7-1 lead, Reyes continued to roll. After Guillen’s RBI single in the first inning, he retired 17 consecutive batters before Guillen got him again, this time with a single in the seventh. When Guillen, who finished the evening with three of the Tigers’ four hits, hit a home run to lead off the ninth, it marked the end of the best game in Reyes’s career.

“The presence he had on the mound and the confidence he threw the ball with is what everybody was most impressed with,” Rolen said. “He seemed to attack the hitters tonight. He went after everybody. … He never wavered.”[7]

Reyes needed just 91 pitches – including 67 strikes – as he matched his longest career outing.

“I tried to focus on the glove,” said Reyes, 25. “I forgot about what type of game this was and focused on the glove. Whatever signs (Molina) put down, I tried to hit the mitt as best I could and not worry about anything else.”[8]

Though Reyes was known for having a plus changeup, after the first inning he and Molina challenged the Tigers with a steady diet of fastballs.

“It seemed like they were trying to sit on my other pitches, so I didn’t feel like it was necessary to throw any other kind of pitch,” Reyes said. “Just try to hit the corners.”[9]

Braden Looper closed out the ninth inning to secure the 7-2 win. With momentum on their side, the Cardinals went on to win the series in five games.

“I don’t know if I can top this,” Reyes said. “It’s definitely the best thing that’s happened in my career.”[10]

Reyes’ dominant performance proved to be the highlight of his career. In 2007, he went just 2-14 with a 6.04 ERA. Ahead of the 2008 trade deadline, the Cardinals sent him to Cleveland for reliever Luis Perdomo. Reyes spent the rest of that season with the Indians and made eight starts in 2009 before his major-league career ended with a 13-26 record and a 5.12 career ERA.

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[1] Roger Rubin, “Young Cardinal earns his wings in Series,” New York Daily News, October 22, 2006.

[2] David Wilhelm, “Reyes twists Tigers’ tails,” Belleville News-Democrat, October 22, 2006.

[3] John Lowe, “6^th-inning miscues seal Tigers’ fate,” Detroit Free Press, October 22, 2006.

[4] Sam Borden, “Reyes Hurls,” New York Daily News, October 22, 2006.

[5] John Harper, “Leyland’s Bluff,” New York Daily News, October 22, 2006.

[6] Sam Borden, “Reyes Hurls,” New York Daily News, October 22, 2006.

[7] Roger Rubin, “Young Cardinal earns his wings in Series,” New York Daily News, October 22, 2006.

[8] David Wilhelm, “Reyes twists Tigers’ tails,” Belleville News-Democrat, October 22, 2006.

[9] Roger Rubin, “Young Cardinal earns his wings in Series,” New York Daily News, October 22, 2006.

[10] Roger Rubin, “Young Cardinal earns his wings in Series,” New York Daily News, October 22, 2006.

The post How Anthony Reyes won Game 1 of the 2006 World Series first appeared on STLRedbirds.com.

Suppan, 29, had signed with the Cardinals the previous December and responded with the best season of his career. On a staff that included Chris Carpenter, Matt Morris, Jason Marquis, and Woody Williams, Suppan led St. Louis with a career-high 16 wins and a 4.16 ERA (Carpenter, Morris, and Marquis each won 15 games).

Nonetheless, Suppan matched up against Clemens four times that season and Clemens had emerged victorious each time, including Game 3 of the NLCS, when Clemens held the Cards to just two runs over seven innings. In that contest, Suppan threw six innings, allowing three earned runs on five hits and two walks.

Early in Game 7, it looked as though Suppan might be in for another loss at the hands of Clemens and the Astros. On his fourth pitch of the night, Craig Biggio launched a solo home run just inside the left-field foul pole.

“Trying to stay out of the big inning was the key,” Suppan said. “If I walked somebody or gave up a solo home run, that was probably going to happen. I just had to stay out of the big innings.”[1]

If it weren’t for an incredible diving catch by Jim Edmonds, the Astros may have gotten that big inning in the second. After Jeff Kent and Jose Vizcaino reached base, Brad Ausmus hit a drive into the left-field gap only to see Edmonds run the ball down and then make a diving grab.

“I don’t want to say it cost us the game, but it ultimately turned the game in the Cardinals’ favor,” Ausmus said. “If that gets over Jimmy’s head, you’re looking at two runs in and a man on second. It’s a 3-0 game. That was a great play – and it went a long way to helping them win Game 7.”[2]

On the Fox broadcast, Edmonds’ grab was replayed five times. Astros bench coach John Tamargo, who was wearing a microphone, was beside himself.

“How in the world did he make that play?” he exclaimed. “Son of a gun.”[3]

“The guy’s been a human highlight film his entire career,” said broadcaster Bob Brenly.[4]

The importance of the catch wasn’t lost on the Cardinals dugout.

“That catch right there saved the game for us,” said Cardinals pitcher Woody Williams. “I said, ‘He just saved the game.’”[5]

“It basically kept me in the game,” agreed Suppan. “I was going pitch by pitch and giving it everything I had and he comes up like that … That’s the type of stuff that makes us the team we are.”[6]

The Astros took a 2-0 lead in the top of the third when Edmonds’ attempt to throw Carlos Beltran out at third skipped past both Scott Rolen and Suppan, who was backing up the play.

The Cardinals cut that lead in half in bottom of the inning. With Tony Womack on third, Tony La Russa called for a suicide squeeze with Suppan at the plate and one out. When Suppan successfully laid down the bunt, Womack scored easily.

“I screwed up one earlier in the year and I made sure I got this one down,” Suppan said. “When I got the sign, I just made sure I got it down.”[7]

The Cardinals took control of the game in the sixth inning. Roger Cedeno entered the game as a pinch-hitter for Suppan and singled. After Edgar Renteria and Larry Walker each grounded out, Albert Pujols jumped on a 1-and-2 pitch from Clemens to double down the left-field line and score Cedeno.

“I knew I had to get a base hit there to tie the game,” Pujols said.[8]

On Clemens’ next pitch, Rolen lined a 343-foot homer to left that put the Cardinals ahead 4-2.

“When we were little kids, this is what we did in the backyard,” Rolen said. “You were your favorite team and playing your rival and you’re in the World Series in Game 7. … It’s just a day that you’re going to remember for the rest of your life.”[9]

With Suppan out of the game, Kiko Calero and Julian Tavarez each threw scoreless innings. In the eighth, Larry Walker added a key insurance run, grounding an RBI single into right field to give St. Louis a 5-2 lead.

In the ninth, Jason Isringhausen retired Kent, Morgan Ensberg, and Vizcaino in order to secure his third save of the postseason and send the Cardinals to the World Series for the 16^th time in franchise history.

“When we were getting ready to win, I took time to think about Jack (Buck) and Darryl (Kile),” La Russa said. “I think about the people in this organization that have treated all of us so great.”[10]

Suppan earned the win after allowing just one earned run over six innings. He held the Astros to just three hits and two walks while striking out six.

“That was a situation where that is an unbelievable team, the Astros,” Suppan said. “They’re a bunch of gamers and they play the game right and they play it well. I knew I was going to give up a couple of runs. I just tried to stay out of the big inning.”[11]

“Suppan did an amazing job,” Cardinals outfielder Reggie Sanders said. “You have to give credit to Suppan. He kept us in the ballgame long enough where we could bust out a couple of home runs.”[12]

Clemens allowed four earned runs over six innings.

“Any time you go against Roger, it’s a pleasure,” Suppan said. “You know it’s going to be a battle. He’s definitely one of the best. I played with him and I learned a lot from him. It was a very memorable night for me to go up against him again.”[13]

After the game, Pujols was named the NLCS MVP. In the seven games, he went 14-for-28 (.500) with four homers and nine RBIs. Unfortunately, the Cardinals’ dominance of the National League didn’t carry over to the World Series, where they fell to the Red Sox in four games.

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[1] Lori Schontz, “Suppan: key was avoiding the big inning,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 22, 2004.

[2] Norm Sanders, “Edmonds’ diving catch changed game’s tide,” Belleville News-Democrat, October 22, 2004.

[3] Dan Caesar, “Shannon’s thrilling call of HR is one to remember,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 22, 2004.

[4] Dan Caesar, “Shannon’s thrilling call of HR is one to remember,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 22, 2004.

[5] Joe Ostermeier, “Cards go national with win over Astros,” Belleville News-Democrat, October 22, 2004.

[6] Rod Kloeckner, “Suppan recovers from early homer,” Belleville News-Democrat, October 22, 2004.

[7] Rod Kloeckner, “Suppan recovers from early homer,” Belleville News-Democrat, October 22, 2004.

[8] David Wilhelm, “Pujols earns MVP after stellar series,” Belleville News-Democrat, October 22, 2004.

[9] Joe Ostermeier, “Cards go national with win over Astros,” Belleville News-Democrat, October 22, 2004.

[10] Joe Ostermeier, “Cards go national with win over Astros,” Belleville News-Democrat, October 22, 2004.

[11] Rod Kloeckner, “Suppan recovers from early homer,” Belleville News-Democrat, October 22, 2004.

[12] Rod Kloeckner, “Suppan recovers from early homer,” Belleville News-Democrat, October 22, 2004.

[13] Rod Kloeckner, “Suppan recovers from early homer,” Belleville News-Democrat, October 22, 2004.

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The post How Jeff Suppan outpitched Roger Clemens in Game 7 of the 2004 NLCS first appeared on STLRedbirds.com.

On October 20, 2004, Edmonds’ walk-off shot capped a 6-4 win over Houston and sent the Cardinals to their first playoff Game 7 since the 1996 NLCS. The shot came just two days after the Astros’ Jeff Kent hit a three-run, walk-off home run to win Game 5.

“This is what it’s all about,” Edmonds said. “I think we all watched TV as kids and we hear and read all the stuff that’s said and written. We finally get to play in Game 7. I mean, it’s better than going home.”[1]

Edmonds put the exclamation mark on a game that featured several Cardinals heroes.

After Lance Berkman put the Astros on the scoreboard with a sacrifice fly in the top of the first, Albert Pujols answered against Houston starting pitcher Peter Munro. With leadoff man Tony Womack on first, Pujols sent a 1-and-2 pitch over the left-field wall to give the Cardinals a 2-1 lead. Pujols’ home run – his sixth in 11 career postseason games – gave him eight RBIs in the NLCS.

The Astros tied the game with two outs in the third inning when Carlos Beltran singled and then scored on a Jeff Bagwell double to left field.

Once again, however, the Cardinals answered. After Pujols and Scott Rolen alertly advanced when Edmonds hit a fly ball to medium left field, both runners were able to score when Edgar Renteria singled up the middle.

“You need to score somehow,” Pujols said. “You’re at home here. You want to get the crowd involved. There are 52,000 people out there. … You want to create something.”[2]

Renteria’s hit chased Astros starting pitcher Peter Munro from the game after just 2 1/3 innings.

Cardinals starting pitcher Matt Morris handed the Cardinals’ bullpen a 4-3 lead after five innings of work. Ray King and Kiko Calero combined for two scoreless innings to get the game to closer Jason Isringhausen, who threw a scoreless eighth before he was sent back out for the ninth and a chance at his first multi-inning save since April 28, 2003.

Two days earlier, in Game 5, Isringhausen retired four Astros before Kent hit his game-winning three-run homer.

“It’s that time of year,” Isringhausen said. “It’s pretty simple. You leave it all out there because there’s nothing left if you lose.”[3]

The Astros had the same attitude. Morgan Esberg worked a 2-and-2 count before he was hit by a pitch to lead off the ninth. He advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, placing him in scoring position for Bagwell’s two-out, game-tying single to left field. The Cardinals had intentionally walked the switch-hitting Beltran to bring Bagwell to the plate.

Suddenly, it felt as though momentum was on the Astros’ side, especially when they brought their own star closer, Brad Lidge, into the game. Lidge had posted a 1.90 ERA and 29 saves during the regular season, earning Cy Young Award votes in his first campaign as the Astros’ closer.

Lidge’s total numbers were pedestrian compared to his dominance of St. Louis. In eight regular-season games against Lidge, the Cardinals were just 1-for-30 (.033) with 16 strikeouts. They were little better to that point in the NLCS, as Lidge had allowed just one hit in five innings (1-for-15, .067) while striking out nine. In Game 6, he continued that success, retiring all nine batters he faced and striking out five.

After Isringhausen retired the Astros in order in the 10^th, the Cardinals turned to an unexpected candidate: Tavarez. The 31-year-old reliever had suffered the loss in Game 4 when he allowed Beltran’s solo home run, which proved to be the game winner. After allowing Beltran’s blast, he buzzed a pitch past Bagwell’s head that drew a $10,000 fine.

When he returned to the dugout, Tavarez only made matters worse, punching the bullpen phone and breaking two fingers on his left (non-pitching) hand. When Tavarez finally calmed down, he realized that everyone from league officials to the coaching staff to his fellow players were disappointed in the way he reacted. When he called his father Francisco in Miami, Tavarez discovered that even his own family had little sympathy for him.

“I called him and said, ‘Dad, guess what? I’ve got two broken fingers.’ He said, ‘Good, you deserve it. You get no sympathy from me. Now go out there and prove you can do it. Go on and pitch.’”[4]

He went on to do exactly that, even though his broken fingers had swollen his hand to twice its normal size.  

“Everyone has been concerned,” Tavarez said. “I told Tony (La Russa), ‘Please, I can do it.’ Everybody has been upset about this. I told him today I can pitch and tonight I wanted to prove it.”[5]

With Tavarez unable to close his glove to catch the ball, catcher Mike Matheny had to soft toss the ball back to the pitcher. Tavarez would then catch the ball with both hands, using his pitching hand to catch the ball against the outside of his glove.

The unconventional method worked. Tavarez retired the side in order in the 11^th and 12^th innings.

“I think the biggest thing for us was Tavarez coming in and giving us an energetic inning,” Edmonds said. “After all he went through, all the negative publicity he got … people don’t know what kind of a person he really is. He just came out there and energized the crowd, energized us, and he got us going.”[6]

“He’s a good guy,” catcher Mike Matheny said. “He’s embarrassed by what happened, but I think everyone in here has come to know him and like him.”[7]

The Cardinals sent the middle of their lineup to the plate for the bottom of the 12^th. Pujols led off the inning with a walk before Astros reliever Dan Miceli got Rolen to fly out. Then, on the second pitch of his at-bat, Edmonds pulled an 0-and-1 pitch 405 feet to right field for just the sixth walk-off home run in NLCS history.

“I was just trying to get a hit,” Edmonds said. “I figured if I could hit something hard in the gap or (get) another base hit, he would run hard to get to third and we would get a chance to score somehow. I was just looking for a ball to get a good swing at. I wasn’t trying to go deep. I was trying to hit the ball hard. Thank God for that. We get to play tomorrow.”[8]

“Actually, I felt a lot like an idiot because when he swung at that first one, I was yelling at him, ‘Hit a line drive. Let’s get first and third,’” La Russa said. “I just wanted him to hit a line drive.”[9]

It was Edmonds’ second home run of the series and his third of the postseason.

“The biggest hit of my career,” Edmonds said. “This is what it’s all about. What a great feeling.”[10]

Meanwhile, it was Miceli’s third loss of the postseason, including Game 2 of the NLDS vs. the Braves and Game 2 of the NLCS. Edmonds’ blast marked the fourth home run he had allowed in 4 2/3 postseason innings.

“It’s been a tough postseason for me,” Miceli said. “I’m fine, I’m healthy, I’m just making bad pitches. It’s tough, but it’s tough for the whole team.”[11]

With a trip to the World Series on the line in Game 7, Jeff Suppan outpitched Roger Clemens and the Cardinals captured their first National League championship since 1987. Pujols, who went 14-for-28 (.500) with four homers, nine RBIs, and an NLCS-record 28 total bases, was named the series MVP.

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[1] Joe Strauss, “Jim Dandy,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 21, 2004.

[2] Joe Strauss, “Jim Dandy,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 21, 2004.

[3] Joe Strauss, “Jim Dandy,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 21, 2004.

[4] Joe Strauss, “Jim Dandy,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 21, 2004.

[5] Joe Strauss, “Jim Dandy,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 21, 2004.

[6] Joe Strauss, “Jim Dandy,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 21, 2004.

[7] Joe Strauss, “Jim Dandy,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 21, 2004.

[8] David Wilhelm, “Edmonds homer brings a victory,” Belleville News-Democrat, October 21, 2004.

[9] David Wilhelm, “Edmonds homer brings a victory,” Belleville News-Democrat, October 21, 2004.

[10] T.R. Sullivan, “Cards force Game 7; Astros turn to Clemens,” Fort Worth Star-Telegram, October 21, 2004.

[11] T.R. Sullivan, “Cards force Game 7; Astros turn to Clemens,” Fort Worth Star-Telegram, October 21, 2004.

The post Jim Edmonds walk-off homer wins Game 6 of the 2004 NLCS first appeared on STLRedbirds.com.

Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. announced the decision, emphasizing that both parties had “cordially and respectfully parted ways.”[1]

“The Cardinals and Walt Jocketty are turning the page today with mutual admiration and appreciation for each other,” Dewitt said. “In speaking with Walt this morning, we were in agreement that our relationship – which has produced one of the finest eras in the history of Cardinals baseball – had likely run its course.”[2]

The move came less than a year after the Cardinals won the 2006 World Series – the franchise’s first championship since 1982 – and just three days after the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported on the internal strife.

St. Louis had just concluded a disappointing, injury-plagued 2007 season. Chris Carpenter and Mark Mulder missed significant time due to injury and Scott Rolen underwent shoulder surgery late in the year. Without their top two starting pitchers, the Cardinals finished 78-84 and finished third in the NL Central.

The Cardinals’ on-field struggles mirrored the challenges taking place in a front office that was divided between Jocketty’s side and that of analytics-focused executive Jeff Luhnow. When DeWitt promoted Luhnow to serve as vice president in charge of scouting and player development, roles previously held by Jocketty, the sides became even more pronounced.

“He clearly didn’t agree with the decision. He said that publicly,” DeWitt said. “My view is that one person should run both (player) procurement and development. He felt like it should be split. We had a little different philosophy and vision with some baseball issues.”[3]

DeWitt initially hoped the matter would resolve itself. Instead, assistant general manager John Mozeliak emerged as the only one who could bridge the gap.[4]

“It’s not a healthy environment when you’re worried about who you’re seen speaking to,” a Cardinals minor-league employee told the Post-Dispatch. “If you speak to someone, you risk making someone else in the front office mad. If you don’t speak, you alienate the person in front of you. It’s tough when you’re in the middle of something like that.”[5]

Initially, DeWitt dismissed the reports of friction.

“There’s tension in the front office, but I would guess there is tension in other front offices to a degree,” he said. “That’s the way it is. Everyone is pushing for the same thing: to have as productive a system as possible.”[6]

However, when announcing Jocketty’s dismissal, however, DeWitt acknowledged that his working relationship with Jocketty had deteriorated since Luhnow’s promotion.

“I think it was just a progressive thing over time,” DeWitt said. “Certain changes are made and people grumble about it and move on. I don’t think that was the case in this situation. It got worse. It’s tough enough to do well when everything’s in sync. It’s really hard when everybody’s not on the same page. Walt recognized that as well.”[7]

Jocketty’s firing ended the longest and one of the most successful GM tenures in Cardinals history. Under his leadership, St. Louis achieved a .536 winning percentage (1,117-968) and reached the postseason in seven of 13 seasons (1996, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006), culminating in the 2006 World Series championship.

Jocketty had also hired manager Tony La Russa and made trades for players like Mark McGwire, Rolen, Will Clark, Larry Walker, and Jim Edmonds.

“It was a hell of a run, a tremendous time here,” said Cardinals President Mark Lamping, who hired Jocketty. “Walt and I talked a while today after the meeting. Neither one of us thought we would last 13 years.”[8]

“Walt will be remembered as the Cardinals GM during one of the most successful and memorable periods in team history, and we’ll always be extremely grateful for his contributions to our many triumphs over the past 13 seasons,” DeWitt said. “Walt’s a friend and will continue to be a friend. I told him I would give him a strong recommendation if I were called about a future position.”[9]

DeWitt announced that Mozeliak, Jocketty’s assistant GM for the previous five seasons, would hold the position in an interim role and was a candidate to succeed Jocketty. Luhnow was not a candidate for the permanent position.[10]

The newly open job was sure to be highly coveted. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch shared a long list of potential successors to Jocketty, including Mozeliak, Mariners special assistant to the general manager Dan Evans, Tigers assistant general manager Al Avila, Red Sox special assistant to the general manager Allard Baird, Twins senior advisor to the general manager Terry Ryan, Phillies assistant general manager Ruben Amaro Jr., Dodgers assistant general manager/scouting director Logan White, Phillies assistant general manager Mike Arbuckle, Dodgers assistant general manager Kim Ng, and Padres special assistant for baseball operations Paul DePodesta.[11]

Whoever inherited the job would face immediate complications. La Russa’s contract had expired and he planned to return to his home in California before making a decision regarding whether he would return.[12] On the field, the Cardinals needed one or two top-of-the-rotation starting pitchers and additional lineup protection for Albert Pujols.[13]

Despite Jocketty’s historic success, longtime Post-Dispatch columnist Bernie Miklasz acknowledged it was time for the Cardinals to make a change.

“If you’re looking for me to shred Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt, you’ve come to the wrong place,” he wrote. “If you want me to declare that the sky is falling, you’ll be disappointed. If you want me to savage Jeff Luhnow as some know-nothing neophyte just because Jocketty didn’t care for him, well, you won’t be happy. There are no bad guys here, no heroes or villains. It’s just the end of a once-successful era.”[14]

On October 31, four weeks after announcing Jocketty’s firing, the Cardinals named Mozeliak general manager.

“I want (the fans) to know we are committed to winning – and creating a successful environment that will allow us to compete,” Mozeliak said. “Everyone knows the landscape’s changing at the major-league level, and we have to adapt. As we move forward, we are prepared to do so.”[15]

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[1] David Wilhelm, “Cardinals and Jocketty part ways,” Belleville News-Democrat, October 4, 2007.

[2] David Wilhelm, “Cardinals and Jocketty part ways,” Belleville News-Democrat, October 4, 2007.

[3] David Wilhelm, “Cardinals and Jocketty part ways,” Belleville News-Democrat, October 4, 2007.

[4] Joe Strauss, “So much to do,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 30, 2007.

[5] Joe Strauss, “So much to do,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 30, 2007.

[6] Joe Strauss, “So much to do,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 30, 2007.

[7] David Wilhelm, “Cardinals and Jocketty part ways,” Belleville News-Democrat, October 4, 2007.

[8] David Wilhelm, “Cardinals and Jocketty part ways,” Belleville News-Democrat, October 4, 2007.

[9] David Wilhelm, “Cardinals and Jocketty part ways,” Belleville News-Democrat, October 4, 2007.

[10] David Wilhelm, “Cardinals and Jocketty part ways,” Belleville News-Democrat, October 4, 2007.

[11] “Replacement Hopefuls,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 4, 2007.

[12] Joe Strauss, “So much to do,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 30, 2007.

[13] Joe Strauss, “So much to do,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 30, 2007.

[14] Bernie Miklasz, “Given Jocketty’s unhappiness, his departure isn’t surprising,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 4, 2007.

[15] Joe Strauss, “Mozeliak is named Cards GM,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, November 1, 2007.

The post Walt Jocketty: Why the Cardinals GM was fired in 2007 first appeared on STLRedbirds.com.

On June 23, 2002, Kile was found dead in the bed of his Chicago hotel room after teammates became concerned that he hadn’t arrived at Wrigley Field for the Cardinals’ game against the Cubs. When Kile hadn’t appeared in time for the Cardinals’ on-field stretching, team officials called the hotel and asked the staff there to check Kile’s room. Hotel employees entered his room at 12:30 p.m. and found him still wearing the eyeshades he wore to sleep.

“It appears he died in his bed,” Chicago police spokesman Carlos Herrera said.[1]

Kile had eaten dinner with his brother the night before at Harry Caray’s restaurant. Around 10:30 p.m., he told teammate Edgar Renteria that he was tired and going to bed.[2] The following morning, Kile’s wife Flynn was unable to reach her husband and called Robin Veres, the wife of Cardinals relief pitcher Dave Veres. When the Cardinals realized that Kile had passed away, it was Robin Veres who called Flynn to break the news.[3] The Kiles had three young children together.

The Cardinals players learned of Kile’s passing as they concluded batting practice. Catcher Mike Matheny and pitcher Woody Williams led the team in prayers.[4]

“The news devastated our club,” Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. “There was no bigger leader on our ball club in every way.”[5]

Fans had already arrived when the decision was made to cancel that day’s game. With his teammates behind him, Cubs catcher Joe Girardi informed the Wrigley Field crowd that the game had been postponed due to a tragedy in the Cardinals family.

“You will find out eventually what happened,” Girardi said.[6]

Kile’s passing was particularly devastating due to his key leadership role on the club. A late bloomer, Kile was a natural lefthander but began pitching with his right hand at age 10 because his father’s glove, the only one the family owned, was for righthanders.[7] Kile didn’t make his high school’s varsity baseball team until his junior year, and after graduating without any college scholarship offers, he played at Chaffey (Calif.). Junior College.

By his sophomore year, Kile had added 30 pounds and seen his fastball leap from 80 to 90 mph.[8] The Astros made him a 30^th-round draft choice in 1987, and two years later, the 20-year-old Kile had already reached Triple-A.

In 1990, Kile had to make a significant adjustment when the Astros banned the slider in their minor league system. Instead, Kile developed a curveball, experimenting with his grip during the offseason by throwing against the brick wall of a local high school.

“And then it happened,” he said. “The break on the curveball was there. I didn’t know what a hitter would think about it or do with it, but it looked the way I wanted it to. I didn’t know how good it really was.”[9]

The pitch became Kile’s signature. In 1991, he made his major-league debut, and in 1993, he won 15 games and was selected for the All-Star Game. In 1997, his final year with the Astros, Kile went 19-7 with a 2.57 ERA. In addition to earning his second career All-Star nod, Kile placed fifth in the National League Cy Young Award voting.

That offseason, Kile signed as a free agent with the Rockies, where the thin mountain air flattened out his curveball. Rather than complain, however, Kile continued to battle. On November 16, 1999, the Cardinals traded four pitchers to the Rockies for Kile, Veres, and Luther Hackman.

Kile soon emerged as a leader in the Cardinals’ clubhouse and on the mound. In his first season in St. Louis, he went 20-9 with a 3.91 ERA, once again finishing fifth in the Cy Young voting. In 2001, he went 16-11 with a 3.09 ERA.

“He was a guy who loved to compete and loved to win,” Jocketty said. “He’s a guy who worked in the clubhouse. You could just see the work he did with a lot of young guys. He was very close to them.”[10]

“This has been a very difficult week with the loss of Jack Buck and now the loss of Darryl Kile,” Jocketty added. “There is going to be a really tough mourning period for the Cardinal organization and the citizens of St. Louis. We all have a job to do. We have to try to be strong and battle through this and find a way to go on. I’m sure Darryl would definitely want us to go on, compete, and try to win our division.”[11]

On June 23, the Cook County medical examiner’s office ruled that Kile probably died of atherosclerosis, or the hardening of the arteries around the heart.[12]

“It doesn’t seem real,” relief pitcher Gene Stechschulte said.[13]

Longtime St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Bernie Miklasz felt the same way.

“Shock. Numbness. Anguish. Disbelief. Confusion,” he wrote. “Tell us this isn’t true, tell us that this is a mistake. Tell us that Darryl Kile will be on the mound at Wrigley Field on Sunday night to stare in at home plate with those steely eyes and grim expression, just before he rocks and throws a swooping curveball that makes hitters curse the very existence of gravity.”[14]

Instead, the Cardinals returned to the field on Sunday with rookie Jason Simontacchi on the mound. Out of respect for Kile, the team did not fill his roster spot and played with just 24 active players.

“One of the most outstanding things about Darryl was his refusal to miss a start,” La Russa said. “He wasn’t going to start, so we’re going to give it our best shot. It’s important for us that we play, but it’s more important to respect Darryl and play tonight. That’s what he did his whole career.”[15]

Conscious of the solemnity of the moment, the Cubs hosted the game without organ music outside the seventh-inning stretch, and the center-field scoreboard featured Kile’s number 57 throughout the game. The team pennants that flew on both foul poles were positioned at half-staff.[16] The Cubs won the game, 2-0.

On Tuesday, June 25, the Cardinals played their first home game since Kile’s passing. The day began with a memorial service in which owner Bill DeWitt Jr., former Cardinals pitcher Ricky Horton, Williams, Matheny, and Flynn Kile spoke. The Cardinals honored Kile with a 10-minute tribute prior to the game.

“Clearly, it was right for the team to play,” DeWitt said. “Darryl Kile never missed a start. This is what he would have wanted the team to do.”[17]

The Cardinals played the remainder of the season with a black circle patch on their left sleeves that read “DK57” in Kile’s honor. The club went on to win 97 games that season, sweeping the Diamondbacks in a three-game NLDS to advance to the NLCS.

Give the gift of Cardinals history! The Trades That Made The St. Louis Cardinals is available now on Amazon.

[1] Joe Strauss and Rick Hummel, “Cards pitcher Darryl Kile is found dead in Chicago,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 23, 2002.

[2] Joe Strauss and Rick Hummel, “Cards pitcher Darryl Kile is found dead in Chicago,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 23, 2002.

[3] Joe Strauss and Rick Hummel, “Cards pitcher Darryl Kile is found dead in Chicago,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 23, 2002.

[4] Joe Strauss and Rick Hummel, “Cards pitcher Darryl Kile is found dead in Chicago,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 23, 2002.

[5] Joe Strauss and Rick Hummel, “Cards pitcher Darryl Kile is found dead in Chicago,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 23, 2002.

[6] Rick Hummel, “Uneasiness foreshadowed the stunning announcement,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 23, 2002.

[7] Vahe Gregorian, “Cards lose a ‘gamer,’” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 23, 2002.

[8] Vahe Gregorian, “Cards lose a ‘gamer,’” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 23, 2002.

[9] Vahe Gregorian, “Cards lose a ‘gamer,’” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 23, 2002.

[10] Joe Strauss and Rick Hummel, “Cards pitcher Darryl Kile is found dead in Chicago,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 23, 2002.

[11] Joe Strauss and Rick Hummel, “Cards pitcher Darryl Kile is found dead in Chicago,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 23, 2002.

[12] Joe Strauss and Deborah L. Shelton, “Kile’s heart was enlarged 25 percent,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 25, 2002.

[13] Joe Strauss and Rick Hummel, “Cards pitcher Darryl Kile is found dead in Chicago,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 23, 2002.

[14] Bernie Miklasz, “Kile, Cardinal Nation suffer cruel fate in a most tragic week,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 23, 2002.

[15] Rick Hummel, “Respect for Kile spurs decision to play,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 24, 2002.

[16] Joe Strauss, “Cardinals pray, try to play as they struggle in defeat,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 24, 2002.

[17] Joe Strauss, “Cardinals pray, try to play as they struggle in defeat,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, June 24, 2002.

The post Darryl Kile passes away: June 22, 2002 first appeared on STLRedbirds.com.

The Cardinals drafted McEwing almost eight years earlier in the 28^th round of the 1992 draft. The 783^rd player selected, McEwing had a long road to the majors and didn’t make his MLB debut until 1998, when he appeared in 10 games. He had just four hits that season, but one of those hits came on September 28, just before Mark McGwire hit his 70^th home run of the season.

In 1999, McEwing opened the year on the Cardinals’ big-league roster and appeared in each of their first 27 games, playing primarily second base but also appearing at third base, center field, right field, and even first base. In June, he began a 25-game hit streak and was hitting above .300 as late as July 28. He finished the year with a .275 average, nine homers, 44 RBIs, and seven stolen bases.

Even as the Cardinals finished fourth in the NL Central, St. Louis fans embraced McEwing. He garnered the nicknames “Super Joe” and “Little Mac,” and Busch Stadium even had a “Little Mac” section in the lower left-field seats early in the season, similar to the “Big Mac” section above it on the upper deck.

“McEwing represented what baseball players used to be – or at least our romanticized ideal of what we think they should be,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Bernie Miklasz wrote. “He was honored to wear the uniform. He would have paid the Cardinals to let him play. In this era of cynicism and greed, we embrace a Joe McEwing and his old-school values.”[2]

Heading into the 2000 season, however, McEwing appeared destined to return to the minor leagues. With six bench spots available, outfielders Craig Paquette and Thomas Howard appeared to be locks alongside the backup catcher. With Shawon Dunston, Brian McRae, Eduardo Perez, Placido Polanco, and Larry Sutton also angling for jobs, it looked as though McEwing was headed to Triple-A Memphis.

“We had a meeting this morning with (manager Tony La Russa) and his staff, and it would have been tough for Joe to make the club based on what we’ve seen this spring and the other candidates,” Cardinals general manager Walt Jocketty said.[3]

As the Cardinals eyed a crowded bench, they found themselves short of left-handed relief when Scott Radinsky suffered a setback in his return from elbow surgery. With Radinsky unable to start the season, the Cardinals set their sights on 42-year-old Jesse Orosco.

The Mets first asked for starting pitcher Garrett Stephenson in return, but Jocketty was unwilling to deal the 28-year-old righthander. The Mets countered by asking for McEwing, and said that if he wasn’t available either, they would deal Orosco somewhere else.[4] Jocketty opted to make the deal.

“I told Joe one of the toughest parts of this job was to tell a player he’s been traded, especially someone … who’s so well-liked and been a Cardinal his whole career,” Jocketty said. “But we needed a lefthander. With the uncertainty of Radinsky, we had to act quickly.”[5]

“Part of the – I use the word joy – that you have coming to the ballpark is you know you’re going to watch Joe come into the clubhouse, and interact in here, and do what he does out there,” La Russa said. “And you just lost part of why you enjoy your day. What you have to weigh against it is when we play the game, we don’t enjoy getting beat because we have a need we could address. So that’s what it came down to.”[6]

“It’s one of the hardest (trades) I’ve ever had to deal with,” said Buddy Bates, who had been the team’s equipment manager since 1983 and a batboy before that. “Keith Hernandez, Bob Forsch, those were tough. But this one is right there.”[7]

McEwing was expected to begin the season in the Mets’ minor-league system, then play a utility role when called up.

“I’m going to a good situation,” McEwing said. “We have a very good chance to play in October, and I’ve got to take advantage of it.”[8]

Meanwhile, the Cardinals were obtaining a veteran reliever who debuted in 1979 and was set to pitch in his fourth decade. St. Louis had drafted Orosco in the seventh round of the January 1977 draft out of Santa Barbara City College, but was unable to sign him.

Orosco’s best seasons came in the 1980s during his first stint with the Mets. In 1983, he placed third in the Cy Young Award voting with a 1.47 ERA and 17 saves over 110 innings. He was named an All-Star in 1983 and 1984 and threw the final pitch of the Mets’ 1986 World Series championship. He was also on the mound when Tom Herr hit his game-winning grand slam on Seat Cushion Night in 1987.

With 1,090 appearances, he had pitched in more major-league games than anyone in baseball history and had never been sent to the disabled list.

“I’m very fortunate,” Orosco said.[9]

“Maybe he’s just got elastic bands for rotator cuffs,” said lefthander Paul Spoljaric.[10]

In 1999 with the Orioles, he threw 32 innings, posting a 5.34 ERA. That December, the Orioles traded him to the Mets for Chuck McElroy, but as the spring progressed, there didn’t appear to be space for Orosco in the New York bullpen.

“We feel he can be an effective pitcher against a left-handed hitter, and we really don’t have that specialist right now,” pitching coach Dave Duncan said. “I know our left-handed hitters don’t like to hit off him, never have, and that’s a good way to measure a guy.”[11]

Cardinals outfielder Eric Davis had played alongside Orosco with the Orioles in 1998.

“You don’t pitch as long as he’s pitched without being consistent,” Davis said. “He’s a tremendous competitor as well as a teacher. … He’s amazing.”[12]

Several teams had been interested in acquiring Orosco, Jocketty said. In particular, there were rumors that Orosco might go to the Dodgers, whose manager, Davey Johnson, and general manager, Kevin Malone, were with Orosco in Baltimore.[13]

“Jesse is a guy who has great experience, and despite his age, is still very productive,” Jocketty said. “We jumped at the opportunity to get him. Jesse was being sought after by several clubs, and we felt this was a good way to add quality depth to our bullpen.”[14]

Orosco said he had heard that he might be dealt to the Tigers.

“It got narrowed down to certain teams,” he said. “Then I heard Detroit and said, ‘Oh, no, I don’t want to go there.’”[15]

Orosco was, however, excited to pitch in St. Louis.

“When you’re traded from one contending team, you hope to fall into another contending team, and I think this has worked out,” he said. “Any time you have a chance to go to a contender, you have to be happy about that. Hopefully, I’m the piece to that puzzle that they needed in the bullpen.”[16]

Unfortunately, Orosco’s streak of 21 big-league seasons without an appearance on the disabled list came to an end on April 9, when he went down with an elbow sprain. The injury plagued Orosco throughout the season, and he threw just 2 1/3 innings for the Cardinals. He signed with the Dodgers ahead of the 2001 season.

McEwing spent five years with the Mets on his way to a nine-year major-league career. Though he was never penciled in as a starter, he played at least 75 games each season, and in 2001, he hit .283 with eight homers, 30 RBIs, and eight stolen bases in just 283 at-bats.

After brief stints with the Royals and Astros and a season in the Red Sox minor-league system, McEwing retired in 2008 with a .251 career batting average. Later that year, he was hired as a hitting coach for the Charlotte Knights, the White Sox Triple-A team. Eventually, he climbed through the ranks to become the White Sox bench coach. In 2023, he returned to the Cardinals as the bench coach under manager Oliver Marmol. In November 2023, the Cardinals announced that he would serve as a special assistant to John Mozeliak, a role he held through the 2025 season.

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[1] Bernie Miklasz, “Though unpopular, trade of McEwing does make sense,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, March 20, 2000.

[2] Bernie Miklasz, “Though unpopular, trade of McEwing does make sense,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, March 20, 2000.

[3] Rick Hummel, “Cardinals’ need for a bullpen lefthander makes McEwing expendable,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, March 19, 2000.

[4] Rick Hummel, “McEwing is traded to the Mets for veteran lefthander Orosco,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, March 19, 2000.

[5] Rick Hummel, “McEwing is traded to the Mets for veteran lefthander Orosco,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, March 19, 2000.

[6] Joe Ostermeier, “Things won’t be the same without ‘original Cardinal’ Little Mac,” Belleville News-Democrat, March 19, 2000.

[7] Joe Ostermeier, “Things won’t be the same without ‘original Cardinal’ Little Mac,” Belleville News-Democrat, March 19, 2000.

[8] Joe Ostermeier, “Cards trade McEwing to Mets,” Belleville News-Democrat, March 19, 2000.

[9] Rick Hummel, “Orosco brings consistency to Cardinals bullpen,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, March 20, 2000.

[10] Rick Hummel, “Orosco brings consistency to Cardinals bullpen,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, March 20, 2000.

[11] Joe Ostermeier, “Cards trade McEwing to Mets,” Belleville News-Democrat, March 19, 2000.

[12] Rick Hummel, “Orosco brings consistency to Cardinals bullpen,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, March 20, 2000.

[13] Rick Hummel, “Orosco brings consistency to Cardinals bullpen,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, March 20, 2000.

[14] Joe Ostermeier, “Cards trade McEwing to Mets,” Belleville News-Democrat, March 19, 2000.

[15] Rick Hummel, “Orosco brings consistency to Cardinals bullpen,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, March 20, 2000.

[16] Rick Hummel, “Orosco brings consistency to Cardinals bullpen,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, March 20, 2000.

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