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.

“Everybody cried,” Rolen said. “We’re an emotional family. When we get happy or whatever, that’s how it comes out. My son, it caught him a little off guard, and he got real emotional. Then the first thing he did is he asked me if I wanted to play catch with him. It’s 30 degrees here, and it’s going to snow like 12 inches tomorrow, and my son and I were in the driveway playing catch about 10-15 minutes after we got the phone call.”[1]

On January 24, 2023, Rolen became the player with the lowest first-year voting percentage (10.2% in 2018) to reach the 75% required to earn induction from the Baseball Writers Association of America balloting. Rolen received just 43 of 422 possible votes in 2018, placing 16 players ahead of him in that year’s total. Over the years, however, Rolen’s total steadily increased, rising to 17.2% in 2019, 35.3% in 2020, 52.9% in 2021, and 63.2% in 2022.

In 2023, he received 297 of 389 votes, good for 76.3%. Rolen was the only player to earn BBWAA election on that year’s ballot, as first baseman Todd Helton received 72.2% of the vote, closer Billy Wagner earned 68.1%, outfielder Andruw Jones earned 58.1%, and outfielder Gary Sheffield earned 55.0%. Former Cardinal outfielder Carlos Beltran earned 46.5% of the vote.

At CooperstownCred.com, Chris Bodig suggested that Rolen may have seen his vote totals climb as voters paid closer attention to advanced statistics such as wins above replacement (WAR).[2] Rolen posted a career WAR of 70.1, which compared favorably with that of the other candidates who were not suspected of steroid use.

Rolen, who became the 18^th third baseman elected to the Hall of Fame, was joined in the Class of 2023 by Veterans Committee selection Fred McGriff.

“There was actually never a point in my life that I thought I was going to be a Hall of Fame baseball player,” Rolen said.[3]

Rolen grew up in Jasper, Indiana, and occasionally attended Cardinals games at Busch Stadium.

“How could you not be a Cardinals fan?” he says. “I saw them play in the World Series against the Brewers and the Royals.”[4]

In high school, Rolen starred in both baseball and basketball. As a senior, he was named Indiana’s Mr. Basketball and was named to the state all-star team. Ultimately, however, he was an even better baseball player, and the Phillies drafted him out of high school in the second round of the 1993 draft.

At his induction ceremony in July 2023, Rolen told the audience that a few weeks after the Phillies drafted him, he was appearing in the high school all-star game between Indiana and Kentucky. Due to baseball, however, he hadn’t played basketball in months. Nervous about the upcoming game, he went to his father and told him that everyone who was going to appear in the contest was better than him. He couldn’t shoot, and he was out of basketball shape.

“You told me what you can’t do,” Ed Rolen told his son. “What can you do?”

Rolen replied that he could rebound, play defense, and outhustle everyone on the court. “Well, do that then,” his father said.

Rolen never forgot those words, he said, and he tried to bring that attitude to his baseball career.

“‘Well, do that then,’ put me on this stage today,” Rolen said. “I now know this mindset is an intentional mindset that effort never takes a day off.”[5]

Rolen made his major-league debut in 1996 and appeared in 37 games that season. The following year, he won the Rookie of the Year Award with a .283 batting average, 21 homers, and 92 RBIs. At season’s end, he signed a four-year, $10 million contract.

Rolen continued to emerge as a star, winning his first career Gold Glove Award in 1998 while hitting 31 homers and driving in 110 runs. He hit 26 homers in each of the next two years and won a second Gold Glove in 2000, but the Phillies struggled and manager Terry Francona was replaced by Larry Bowa ahead of the 2001 campaign.

Rolen and Bowa soon butted heads. In June, Bowa blamed the middle of his lineup – particularly the cleanup hitter Rolen – for a series loss to the Red Sox.

“It was three, four, and five,” Bowa said, “but Pat (Burrell) has picked us up when I’ve hit him fifth. If the No. 4 guy (Rolen) even makes contact in either Boston loss, we sweep the series. He’s killing us.”[6]

In August, Dallas Green, the Phillies’ former manager who was then serving as an executive assistant for the team, criticized Rolen in a radio interview.

“Scotty is satisfied with being a so-so player,” Green said. “He’s not a great player. In his mind, he probably thinks he’s doing OK, but the fans in Philadelphia know otherwise. I think he can be greater, but his personality won’t let him.”[7]

“I don’t feel as welcome in this organization as I have in the past,” Rolen said in response.[8]

That lack of welcome may have been why Rolen turned down a seven-year, $90 million extension with options and incentives that could have made the deal total 10 years and $140 million. When Rolen arrived at spring training in 2002, he addressed his decision to decline the contract offer.

“Quite honestly, I’m an idiot for not signing that contract,” Rolen said. “My mind tells me that I should have signed that contract. The chance to make $140 million, that’s just incredible.

“But as stupid as I thought I was for not signing the contract, I’m trying to do the right thing. I play this game to compete. I think that ownership expects us to go out there every day and give everything we have. We expect that of ourselves. The fans expect us to be passionate on the field. Philadelphia is the sixth-largest market in the game, and I feel that for the last however long, the organization has not acted like it. There’s a lack of commitment to what I think is right. I’m not seeing that their No. 1 goal is to put a winning team on the field. That’s my No. 1 goal, and that’s why I put a uniform on every day.”[9]

Realizing that they may not be able to re-sign Rolen when his contract expired after the 2002 season, the Phillies traded Rolen, Doug Nickle, and cash to the Cardinals for Placido Polanco, Bud Smith, and Mike Timlin. In St. Louis, he joined Albert Pujols and Jim Edmonds as the “MV3.”

“The biggest thing about St. Louis – there were just seasoned professionals, veterans, there at the time that you could really learn from overnight,” Rolen said. “They had been around. They competed together for a long time. That was a great thing in my career that I think I was ready for.”[10]

Rolen enjoyed arguably the best season of his career in 2004 as he posted career highs with a .314 batting average, 34 homers, and 124 RBIs while leading the Cardinals to the National League championship. He hit the game-winning home run in Game 7 of the NLCS to send St. Louis to the World Series.

“Rolen’s the perfect baseball player,” Milwaukee Brewers manager Ned Yost said that year. “It’s his tenacity, his preparation, the way he plays. He tries to do everything fundamentally sound. And he puts the team first – there’s no fanfare with him.”[11]

In 2005, Rolen’s career was forever changed when a May collision with Hee-Seop Choi resulted in a serious shoulder injury. Rolen attempted to rehab the injury and returned in June, but the pain returned, and he was forced to undergo season-ending surgery.

Rolen returned in 2006 to lead the Cardinals to another National League championship, batting .296 with 22 homers and 95 RBIs. By the postseason, however, his shoulder was flaring up, and he hit just .091 in the NLDS and .238 in the NLCS. Cardinals manager Tony La Russa chose to remove Rolen from the starting lineup for Game 4 of the NLDS and Game 2 of the NLDS, a decision Rolen strongly disagreed with. In 2007, the relationship between the two soured further, and Rolen asked to be traded. The Cardinals obliged, sending Rolen to Toronto for third baseman Troy Glaus in January 2008.

In 2014, Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak said that Rolen was the only player he regretted trading.[12]

Rolen played 1 ½ seasons in Toronto before the Blue Jays traded him to the Reds for Edwin Encarnacion, Josh Roenicke, and Zach Stewart. In Cincinnati, Rolen was reunited with general manager Walt Jocketty, who had now traded for Rolen twice – once in St. Louis and then in Cincinnati.

Rolen spent the final 3 ½ seasons of his career in Cincinnati, and though age and his shoulder injury limited his playing time, he provided the leadership Jocketty was seeking.

“I loved playing with him,” Joey Votto said. “I learned so much. If any player is lucky enough to have a role model and a teammate like him, they’re as lucky as it gets. I shaped my career, my effort, and my work in his mold.”[13]

After the 2012 season, Rolen announced his retirement. Over 17 seasons, including six in St. Louis, he hit .281 with 2,077 hits, 316 homers, and 1,287 RBIs. In addition to his Rookie of the Year Award, Rolen won a Silver Slugger in 2002, made seven All-Star Games, and won eight Gold Glove awards. He also had a World Series ring from the 2006 Cardinals.

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[1] Bobby Nightengale, “Rolen reflects,” Cincinnati Enquirer, January 26, 2023.

[2] Chris Bodig, “Scott Rolen’s Path To The Hall of Fame: A WAR Story,” Cooperstown Cred, https://www.cooperstowncred.com/scott-rolens-hall-of-fame-case-a-matter-of-war/.

[3] Derrick Goold, “Rolen leads Cardinals ’06 champs into Hall,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, January 25, 2023.

[4] Tom Verducci, “He’s the Perfect Player,” Sports Illustrated, July 12, 2004, https://vault.si.com/vault/2004/07/12/quothes-the-perfect-playerquot-a-no-nonsense-star-who-does-it-all-scott-rolen-embodies-the-cardinal-virtues-in-st-louis-and-first-place-is-nice-too.

[5] Derrick Goold, “Rolen praises family in Hall speech,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 24, 2023.

[6] Bill Conlin, “Great Scott? Not,” Philadelphia Daily News, June 13, 2001.

[7] Paul Hagen, “Rolen stung by Green’s comments,” Philadelphia Daily News, August 9, 2001.

[8] Paul Hagen, “Rolen stung by Green’s comments,” Philadelphia Daily News, August 9, 2001.

[9] Bob Brookover, “Rolen: Phils don’t have will to win,” Philadelphia Inquirer, February 17, 2002.

[10] Derrick Goold, “Rolen leads Cardinals ’06 champs into Hall,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, January 25, 2023.

[11] Tom Verducci, “He’s the Perfect Player,” Sports Illustrated, July 12, 2004, https://vault.si.com/vault/2004/07/12/quothes-the-perfect-playerquot-a-no-nonsense-star-who-does-it-all-scott-rolen-embodies-the-cardinal-virtues-in-st-louis-and-first-place-is-nice-too.

[12] Rick Hummel, “Mozeliak: The only player I regret trading,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 5, 2014.

[13] Bobby Nightengale, “Rolen reflects,” Cincinnati Enquirer, January 26, 2023.

The post How Scott Rolen became a Hall of Famer first appeared on STLRedbirds.com.

On January 14, 2008, the Cardinals traded Rolen to the Blue Jays for Glaus. Both players had requested trades, but their approaches differed. Glaus quietly approached Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi during the season, citing concerns that the Rogers Centre turf was worsening his foot injury. Rolen’s trade request, however, was public and confrontational.

Rolen was traded to St. Louis just ahead of the 2002 trade deadline after a falling out with Phillies manager Larry Bowa. He quickly became a core piece of the Cardinals’ success, earning four consecutive All-Star Game selections, three Gold Gloves, and a fourth-place finish in the 2004 National League MVP voting. Alongside Albert Pujols and Jim Edmonds, Rolen was a key part of the team’s celebrated “MV3.”

However, Rolen’s trajectory shifted in 2005 when he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury in a collision with the Dodgers’ Hee-Seop Choi. The Cardinals attempted to repair the injury with arthroscopic surgery and rehabilitation, but the injury lingered, and the Cardinals and Rolen disagreed on how to proceed. Rolen’s agents threatened legal action to gain the Cardinals’ consent for reconstructive surgery on the shoulder, finally gaining permission for Dr. Tim Kremchek, the Reds’ medical supervisor, to perform the surgery.

In 2006, Rolen hit .296 with 22 homers and 95 RBIs, but his shoulder issues resurfaced late in the season, limiting his performance. In the NLDS against the Padres, he hit just .091 (1-for-11) with eight strikeouts. After Rolen went 0-for-3 in Game 1 of the NLCS against the Mets, La Russa started Scott Spiezio at third base in Game 2 – a decision that strained his relationship with Rolen. The relationship between manager and player didn’t recover, even after Rolen returned to the starting lineup in Game 3. Although Rolen hit .421 (8-for-19) with a home run in the World Series, the tension between the two lingered.

The 2007 season saw the feud escalate. Rolen, still hampered by his shoulder, suffered a season-ending injury in late August, and Kremchek performed a cleanup procedure that September.[1]

“I couldn’t get the bat back where I needed to,” Rolen said. “That was my biggest problem. I was basically just diving at balls and trying to run into stuff. It was a pretty painful four months.”[2]

When La Russa polled the team near the end of the season as to whether he should return the following year, Rolen was the only player to vote no.[3] After the Cardinals gave La Russa a two-year contract extension, Rolen informed general manager John Mozeliak that he would waive his no-trade clause if the Cardinals dealt him to a contender. The Brewers and Cardinals discussed a possible deal, but negotiations broke down, and it appeared that Rolen would be back in St. Louis in 2008.[4]

“Speaking for me … there’s absolutely no intention to accommodate Scott,” La Russa said. “I mean, that’s not how you run an organization. The idea is to accommodate the St. Louis Cardinals, our team, our responsibility to our players, and to the competition. So, no, I don’t want to accommodate Scott.”[5]

In December, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that La Russa and Rolen had not spoken at length since midway through the season and that La Russa “sent a lengthy letter to Rolen shortly after the season, but the correspondence was poorly received.”[6] Sources close to Rolen said he was considering not reporting to spring training until March 1, the mandatory report date, to encourage a trade.[7]

La Russa said he couldn’t remember being bothered this much by a situation with a player.[8]

“It’s very clear that he’s unhappy, and I’m making it clear that I don’t know why he’s unhappy,” La Russa said. “I can make a list of 50 respect points that this man has been given by our organization. It’s time for him to give back.”[9]

In the midst of the rift between La Russa and Rolen, however, the Blue Jays saw an opportunity. As part of the trade, Glaus not only waived his no-trade clause but also exercised his player option for the 2009 season.

“When Troy was first informed by the club that this was a possibility, he thought upon his approval, it was done,” said Glaus’ agent, Mike Nicotera. “For him, it was an easy choice. It didn’t take him long at all to agree to the trade and take his option. It was almost instantaneous.”[10]

After Glaus and Rolen each passed their physicals, the teams needed only to wait upon Major League Baseball approval, since the Blue Jays were sending the Cardinals $1.8 million as part of the deal.[11]

“Everybody in baseball knew there was a problem with the relationship over there,” Ricciardi said. “We were aware of the situation, and we were honest. We weren’t looking to trade Troy, but we thought it was a situation that could help both players.”[12]

Like Rolen, Glaus was a four-time All-Star with an impressive resume. As a member of the Angels in 2000, he led the American League with 47 homers, the first of three consecutive seasons in which he drove in triple-digit RBIs. Glaus suffered a shoulder injury of his own in 2004, limiting him to just 58 games.

A free agent for the first time in his career ahead of the 2005 season, Glaus made a shortlist of teams he was interested in playing for. That list included the Cardinals.

“There were a number of reasons why the Cardinals interested him, even back then and certainly now,” Nicotera said. “All that might sound cliché or convenient because of the recent situation, but for him, the Cardinals have certainly been up there as a place he wanted to play.”[13]

Glaus ultimately signed with the Diamondbacks ahead of the 2005 season, where he hit 37 home runs before he was traded to the Blue Jays. In Toronto, he hit 38 homers, drove in 104 runs, and was named to the All-Star Game. In 2007, however, plantar fasciitis limited Glaus to just 115 games.

“He went through the season trying to manage it every day, and then it just got to a point where it had to be addressed,” Nicotera said.[14]

Shortly before Glaus had season-ending surgery on his foot, an SI.com report alleged he had steroids shipped to his home from September 2003 to May 2004. Glaus met with Major League Baseball investigators, and in December, the commissioner released a statement that there was insufficient evidence to take disciplinary action against him. The Cardinals felt satisfied with the results of the investigation and their own discussions with Glaus.[15]

“When you look at them player by player, at the end of the day, what breaks the tie is a happy player vs. an unhappy player,” general manager John Mozeliak said. “There’s no doubt when you look at what Troy brings to the table, he has off-the-chart power, and we’re looking for someone who will give Albert protection in our lineup. Who better to do that?”[16]

“St. Louis is a city that I’ve dreamed about playing in since I was a kid,” said Glaus. “Given that opportunity, I felt that it was something I couldn’t pass up.”[17]

Glaus played two seasons in St. Louis. In 2008, he hit 27 homers and drove in 99 runs. However, in January 2009, he required arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder. Though the Cardinals initially expected him to return around the start of the season, he didn’t make his return until September.

For the 2010 season, he left St. Louis and signed a one-year, $1.75 million contract with the Braves. In 128 games, he hit 16 home runs and drove in 71 RBIs. He retired after the season, ending a 13-season major league career that included 320 homers and 950 RBIs.

In Toronto, Rolen got a fresh start, free from his tension with La Russa. At his introductory press conference, Rolen removed his coat at the press conference and jokingly said, “Oh, my shoulder.”[18]

He said he didn’t plan to discuss his issues with La Russa, nor would he use the conflict for motivation moving forward.

“To go out and try to prove to somebody else, whatever your motives, I’m not sure if that’s healthy,” Rolen said. “I want to focus all my attention and my competition on the field. Too many times the last year, year-and-a-half, some of the focus was off the field instead of on the field, where it should stay.”[19]

David Eckstein, who played alongside Rolen in St. Louis, had just signed a free-agent contract with the Blue Jays in December.

“I think it is going to be a good move for both clubs,” he said. “St. Louis was looking for someone to back Albert up, that power bat, and Troy definitely fits that. And this will be a good thing for Scott. We know the situation with Scott, and this is his fresh start.”[20]

For his part, Rolen said his shoulder felt as good as it had since his collision with Choi.

“I feel as good and as strong as I’ve been in the last three years, by far,” he said. “I feel right now that I’m back where I wanted to be before all the destruction. I don’t have any restrictions right now.”[21]

Rolen lost some of that momentum when he broke a finger in spring training and missed the opening weeks of the season. During the summer, his shoulder required another stint on the disabled list. In 115 games, he hit .262 with 11 home runs and 50 RBIs.

In 2009, he regained some of his old form, batting .320 with eight homers and 42 RBIs in 88 games. At the trading deadline, the Blue Jays sent him to Cincinnati for Edwin Encarnacion, Josh Roenicke, and Zach Stewart.

Rolen played the final 3 ½ years of his career in Cincinnati. In 2010, he hit 20 homers, drove in 83 runs, was selected for the All-Star Game, and won the Gold Glove. In 2011, he was named to the seventh and final All-Star Game of his career.

Rolen retired following the 2012 season with a .281 career batting average, 316 home runs, and 1,287 RBIs. Along the way, he won the Rookie of the Year Award, a Silver Slugger, and eight Gold Gloves. He was named to the Cardinals Hall of Fame in 2019 and inducted into Cooperstown in 2023.

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[1] Joe Strauss, “La Russa: Now, it’s personal,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, December 6, 2007.

[2] Associated Press, “Trade gives Rolen opportunity to put La Russa feud behind him,” The Pantagraph, January 15, 2008.

[3] Joe Strauss, “La Russa: Now, it’s personal,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, December 6, 2007.

[4] Joe Strauss, “La Russa: Now, it’s personal,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, December 6, 2007.

[5] Joe Strauss, “La Russa: Now, it’s personal,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, December 6, 2007.

[6] Joe Strauss, “La Russa: Now, it’s personal,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, December 6, 2007.

[7] Derrick Goold, “Rolen relishes ‘fresh start,’” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, January 16, 2008.

[8] Joe Strauss, “La Russa: Now, it’s personal,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, December 6, 2007.

[9] Joe Strauss, “La Russa: Now, it’s personal,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, December 6, 2007.

[10] Derrick Goold, “Hot corner zen,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, January 15, 2008.

[11] Derrick Goold, “Slick pick at third?” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, January 17, 2008.

[12] Derrick Goold, “Rolen relishes ‘fresh start,’” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, January 16, 2008.

[13] Derrick Goold, “Hot corner zen,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, January 15, 2008.

[14] Derrick Goold, “Option for ’09 is key to trade,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, January 14, 2008.

[15] Derrick Goold, “Slick pick at third?” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, January 17, 2008.

[16] Derrick Goold, “Slick pick at third?” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, January 17, 2008.

[17] Derrick Goold, “Slick pick at third?” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, January 17, 2008.

[18] Derrick Goold, “Rolen relishes ‘fresh start,’” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, January 16, 2008.

[19] Associated Press, “Trade gives Rolen opportunity to put La Russa feud behind him,” The Pantagraph, January 15, 2008.

[20] Derrick Goold, “Hot corner zen,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, January 15, 2008.

[21] Associated Press, “Trade gives Rolen opportunity to put La Russa feud behind him,” The Pantagraph, January 15, 2008.

The post Why St. Louis traded Scott Rolen to Toronto for Troy Glaus first appeared on STLRedbirds.com.

Now, following a trade that sent Placido Polanco, Bud Smith, and Mike Timlin to the Phillies for Rolen and minor-league pitcher Doug Nickle, the 27-year-old from Jasper, Indiana, would be playing on the same infield that Ozzie Smith, inducted in the Hall of Fame just one day earlier, once patrolled.

“It may be the best place to play in the game, and it’s the place I always dreamed of playing,” Rolen said.[1]

St. Louis was equally excited to have him. The day the trade was announced, St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Dan O’Neill wrote, “He will be baptized in a sea of red, cuddled like a lost puppy, accepted into the Cardinals’ community with high honors. Rolen didn’t just leave a last-place team for a first-place team, he just became the most popular guy in town.”[2]

The 1997 Rookie of the Year, Rolen’s relationship with the Phillies had deteriorated rapidly since spring training 2001, when Rolen turned down a contract offer that would have paid him a guaranteed $90 million over seven years. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the proposal called for Rolen to earn $7 million in 2002, $13 million in 2005, $14 million in 2006, $15 million in 2007, and $15 million in 2008, plus incentives. Additionally, there was a $16 million team option for 2009 and player and club options for $16 million in 2010 and $18 million in 2011. A no-trade clause would kick in beginning in 2005.[3]

In Rolen’s four seasons with the Phillies, however, the club had never finished above .500. To remedy that situation, he requested a clause in his contract that would require the Phillies to rank among the league’s highest payrolls.[4] The Phillies were not interested.

Things only got worse during the season. Rolen feuded with Phillies manager Larry Bowa, and the two didn’t speak to one another late in spring training.[5] Philadelphia Inquirer sports columnist Jim Salisbury wrote, “The biggest push out of town came … when Bowa was quoted as disparaging Rolen’s play. Bowa denied saying Rolen’s lack of offense was ‘killing us.’ But the damage had been done. From that day on, Rolen detested playing for Bowa.”[6]

Once one of the Phillies’ most popular players, Rolen began to receive boos from his home fans. In June, Rolen hit two home runs in a win over the Expos and refused to acknowledge the fans seeking a curtain call.

“Maybe we’re even,” he said.[7]

Later that month, one of Rolen’s teammates anonymously referred to him as a clubhouse cancer.[8]

In November, when Rolen refused to negotiate further with the Phillies, the team publicly announced that it had offered him a deal worth up to $140 million over 10 years. At the winter meetings, the team tried to trade Rolen, but a deal with the Orioles fell through.[9]

In the first half of 2002, Rolen hit .253/.349/.458 with 13 homers and 58 RBIs and was named to the National League all-star team for the first time in his career. With Rolen due to be a free agent at the end of the season, Phillies general manager Ed Wade didn’t have much time remaining to get something more than a compensatory draft pick in exchange for his star third baseman.

Enter Cardinals general manager Walt Jocketty.

On July 26, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that the Cardinals were engaged with talks about Rolen, with discussions centered around Polanco, top pitching prospect Jimmy Journell, and additional pitching.

“We’ve talked about some things but I’m not sure anything’s there,” Jocketty said.[10]

On July 27, Post-Dispatch columnist Bernie Miklasz outlined the challenges to making such a deal, noting that reports indicated the Phillies had rejected an offer of Polanco and left-handed pitcher Bud Smith.

“According to baseball insiders, Wade wants a trading partner to pay for the remaining $2.9 million of Rolen’s contract in addition to giving up two quality players,” Miklasz wrote. “The other complicating factor is the labor situation. If the players go on strike, teams would receive no real benefit in acquiring Rolen. Why give up good players for a free agent when there’s a distinct chance of a labor shutdown?”[11]

That same day, Fox Sports erroneously reported during its Cardinals-Cubs broadcast that the trade had been completed. Others speculated that Fernando Vina, who was out of the lineup for the second day in a row, might be included in such a deal. Vina, however, was day-to-day with a right wrist injury.[12]

On July 28, the Post-Dispatch reported that trade talks now included Polanco, Smith, and Journell, but were stalled as the two sides determined whether the Phillies would cover “a significant portion” of the costs of Rolen’s remaining salary and whether Rolen would be open to re-signing with the Cardinals.[13]

For his part, Rolen indicated that he would be open to such a scenario in St. Louis.

“If the situation arose, I’d be willing to talk about a contract extension,” he said. “Right now, it’s out of my hands, as it always has been.”[14]

On the July 29 Post-Dispatch, Jocketty described the trade talks as “stuck in neutral,” and sources said Jocketty was no longer willing to include Journell in a trade.[15] That day, however, Jocketty and Wade finally agreed on the deal.

Rolen was batting .259 with 17 homers and 66 RBIs at the time of the trade.

“We are very pleased and excited to add Scott Rolen to our lineup,” Jocketty said in a statement. “He is an all-star, a proven run producer, and an excellent defensive player.”[16]

Polanco was batting .288 with nine homers and 49 RBIs, and had a .296 career batting average with the Cardinals. In addition to third base, he played at both shortstop and second base.

“The Cardinals have tinkered with their cohesive chemistry in parting with Placido Polanco,” O’Neill wrote. “They gave up a versatile and resilient player, one admired by his teammates, one who has been a fixture in the Cardinals’ circle of Latin players.”[17]

Smith threw a no-hitter for the Cardinals in 2001 on his way to a 6-3 rookie season, but struggled in 2002, going 1-5 with a 6.94 ERA, and had been sent to Triple-A Memphis.

Timlin, a 16-year veteran, had appeared in 134 games for the Cardinals over three years, compiling a 3.36 ERA over 163 1/3 innings. He was due to be a free agent at the end of the season, and the remaining portion of his $5 million salary helped to offset Rolen’s remaining salary.[18]

“Three things would have to happen for this deal to haunt the Cardinals,” O’Neill wrote. “They miss the World Series, Rolen signs elsewhere, and Smith develops into a big winner. You have to like the odds.”[19]

Including 2002, Polanco played seven seasons with the Phillies, batting .290 with a .341 on-base percentage. He totaled 51 homers, 281 RBIs and 31 stolen bases before he was traded to the Tigers in 2005. In Detroit, he had his greatest success, earning two all-star appearances, a Silver Slugger Award, and three Gold Gloves. He retired in 2013 after a 16-year major-league career.

Smith stayed in the Phillies’ minor league system through 2004. He pitched for the Twins’ Triple-A affiliate in 2005, then played two seasons of independent baseball before retiring.

Timlin pitched the remainder of the 2002 season with the Phillies, posting a 3.79 ERA through 35 2/3 innings. He signed with the Red Sox following the season and played the final six years of his 18-year career in Boston.

Nickle didn’t stay with the Cardinals long. After 14 appearances with the Memphis Redbirds in which he went 3-1 with a 4.60 ERA, he was placed on waivers and claimed by the Padres. When rosters expanded in September, he played in 10 games for the Padres and claimed his only major-league win against the Rockies. He spent the rest of his career in the minors and retired after the 2004 season at age 29.

Rolen had the best years of his career with the Cardinals, making four all-star appearances and winning three Gold Gloves. Together, he, Albert Pujols, and Jim Edmonds were nicknamed “MV3” as they made the Cardinals’ offense one of the best in the league.

In 2004, Rolen hit .314 with 34 homers and 124 RBIs, helping the Cardinals win the National League pennant and placing fourth in the MVP voting. In 2006, he hit .296 with 22 homers and 95 RBIs. After struggling in the NLDS against the Padres and the 2006 NLCS against the Mets, Rolen went 8-for-21 (.421) with a homer and two RBIs as the Cardinals beat the Tigers for their 10^th world championship.

By 2008, Rolen’s relationship with Cardinals manager Tony La Russa had deteriorated and he was traded to the Blue Jays for Troy Glaus. Rolen played two years in Toronto before playing the final four seasons of his career in Cincinnati, where he made two more all-star appearances and won a Gold Glove in 2010. He retired following the 2012 season with a career .281 batting average, 316 home runs, and 1,287 RBIs.

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[1] Bob Brookover, “The Deal Is to the Cards,” Philadelphia Inquirer, July 30, 2002: Page E4.

[2] Dan O’Neill, “Rolen’s acquisition is worth the risk for the Cardinals,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 30, 2002: Page E1.

[3] Bob Brookover, “The Deal Is to the Cards,” Philadelphia Inquirer, July 30, 2002: Page E4.

[4] Rob Maaddi, “Cardinals deal for Rolen,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 30, 2002: Page E5.

[5] Rob Maaddi, “Cardinals deal for Rolen,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 30, 2002: Page E5.

[6] Jim Salisbury, “Once-happy union ends in divorce,” Philadelphia Inquirer, July 30, 2002: Page E4.

[7] Rob Maaddi, “Cardinals deal for Rolen,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 30, 2002: Page E5.

[8] Rob Maaddi, “Cardinals deal for Rolen,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 30, 2002: Page E5.

[9] Bob Brookover, “The Deal Is to the Cards,” Philadelphia Inquirer, July 30, 2002: Page E4.

[10] Joe Strauss, “Isringhausen bags No. 100 but focuses on team wins,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 26, 2002: Page D5.

[11] Bernie Miklasz, “Phils’ Rolen would fit in nicely with the Cards,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 27, 2002: Page 3OT.

[12] Joe Strauss, “Cards GM continues pursuit of Phillies’ Rolen,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 28, 2002: Page D10.

[13] Joe Strauss, “Cards GM continues pursuit of Phillies’ Rolen,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 28, 2002: Page D10.

[14] Joe Strauss, “Cards GM continues pursuit of Phillies’ Rolen,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 28, 2002: Page D10.

[15] Joe Strauss, “Journell’s out of any trade to get Rolen, sources say,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 29, 2002: Page C5.

[16] Rob Maaddi, “Cardinals deal for Rolen,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 30, 2002: Page E5.

[17] Dan O’Neill, “Rolen’s acquisition is worth the risk for the Cardinals,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 30, 2002: Page E1.

[18] Dan O’Neill, “Rolen’s acquisition is worth the risk for the Cardinals,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 30, 2002: Page E5.

[19] Dan O’Neill, “Rolen’s acquisition is worth the risk for the Cardinals,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 30, 2002: Page E1.

The post Phillies trade Scott Rolen to the Cardinals: July 29, 2002 first appeared on STLRedbirds.com.

The previous night, the fireworks started when Jim Edmonds hit a two-run home run off Chicago’s Carlos Zambrano. The fiery Cubs right-hander felt that Edmonds spent too long admiring the ball as it flew over the right-field wall and shouted at the Cardinals center fielder as he rounded the bases. Tempers flared and the benches cleared before order was restored.

Four innings later, Cardinals third baseman Scott Rolen hit what proved to be the game-winning blast, a two-run home run that broke a 3-3 tie. Zambrano responded immediately by hitting Edmonds with a pitch for the second time that game, earning ejections for Zambrano and Cubs manager Dusty Baker.

With those events fresh on everyone’s mind, it didn’t take long for matters to escalate.

Led by a pitching staff that included Greg Maddux, Kerry Wood, and Mark Prior and a lineup that included Aramis Ramirez, Moises Alou, and Sammy Sosa, the Cubs had entered the season as the National League Central favorites. However, they entered the day trailing the Cardinals by nine games, just half a game ahead of the third-place Cincinnati Reds. Ever since the calendar turned to July, St. Louis had been hot, winning 12 of their previous 14 games, including an eight-game win streak to open the month.

The Cardinals took a brief first-inning lead. Womack drew a leadoff walk and Edgar Renteria laid down a sacrifice bunt to move him to second base. Albert Pujols, who came into the game batting .311, pulled a 3-2 curveball over Alou’s head in left field to give St. Louis a 1-0 lead.

Rolen, batting next, was hit on the arm by a 1-and-2 breaking ball. Though the circumstances made it unlikely that Rusch was throwing at the Cardinals’ third baseman, there seemed little doubt that a response was headed the Cubs’ way. In the bottom half of the inning, Cardinals right-hander Matt Morris delivered that reply by throwing a fastball that sailed behind Cubs center fielder Corey Patterson’s hips.

“I felt it was the right thing to do, to stick up for my teammates,” Morris said. “No one got hurt. In fact, it might have fired them up.”[1]

Indeed, while Morris retired the side in order in the first, he would not be so fortunate the next inning. He led off the inning by walking Alou, and fell behind Derrek Lee 2-and-0 before Lee homered to center field. Ramirez followed with a double, and Michael Barrett launched a line-drive home run over the right-field wall to make it 4-0.

Patterson added a two-run double over Edmonds’ head, and with two outs Alou hit an RBI single up the middle to give the Cubs a 7-1 lead and chase Morris from the game.

“I thought he hit a wall,” La Russa said. “He went out to the mound and it was like all of a sudden somebody punched him in the gut. He was having trouble breathing.”[2]

Pujols and Ramirez traded solo home runs in the third inning to make it 8-2, and in the sixth inning St. Louis began its comeback. After Pujols and Rolen each singled to lead off the inning, Edmonds singled into right field to score Pujols. Baker replaced Rusch with Francis Beltran, who immediately walked Sanders to load the bases, then walked Mike Matheny to score Rolen. So Taguchi reached on an infield single that scored Edmonds, and Ray Lankford hit a sacrifice fly that cut the Cubs’ lead to 8-6.

Pujols made it 8-7 in the top of the seventh when he greeted Kyle Farnsworth’s first-pitch fastball by slugging it over the left-field wall.

 Farnsworth was still holding onto a one-run lead in the eighth inning when he fell behind Taguchi 3-and-1 threw a fastball down the middle of the plate. The diminutive Taguchi turned on the pitch and hit it into Waveland Avenue beyond the left-field wall. Afterwards, Pujols pointed to Taguchi’s home run as the biggest blow of the game.[3]

The teams were still deadlocked 8-8 when the Cubs turned to LaTroy Hawkins for the ninth inning. Renteria led off with an infield single to bring Pujols, already 4-for-4 with two home runs to the plate. Both of Pujols’ blasts had come on the first pitch, so Hawkins was cautious with his first offering, a low fastball. He was less cautious with his second pitch, a fastball out over the plate that Pujols hit the other way over the right-field wall.

Pujols’ three-homer game marked the first time a Cardinal had accomplished the feat since Mark McGwire on May 18, 2000.[4]

“As soon as I hit it, I knew it was out of the park,” Pujols said.[5]

With two outs, Reggie Sanders added a home run to center field to make it 11-8. After striking out Yadier Molina to end the top of the ninth, Hawkins got into an argument with home-plate umpire Tim Tschida and had to be restrained by Baker and four of his fellow coaches.[6]

“Do I regret it? No,” Hawkins said. “I talked to him like a man at first and it didn’t work.”[7]

In the ninth, Cardinals closer Jason Isringhausen worked around two walks and a single to earn the save. It marked the Cardinals’ largest comeback since July 28, 2002, when they rallied from a 6-0, third-inning deficit to beat the Cubs.[8]

It was a strong showing for the Cardinals bullpen, which allowed just one run in 7 1/3 innings, including three innings from Eldred and two shutout innings from Kiko Calero. Ray King earned the win after retiring the side in order in the eighth.

“It just shows the character of this team,” Isringhausen said. “After our big win Monday, we could have been content to leave town with a split … but we kept plugging away, plugging away. That’s how we do it. This is just a great win for us.”

With the win, the division-leading Cardinals moved 10 games ahead of the Cubs, who were leap-frogged by Cincinnati and fell into third place.

“This is the happiest I’ve ever been after giving up seven runs in 1 2/3 innings,” said Morris, who optimistically noted that the Cardinals’ comeback would not have been possible if he hadn’t allowed seven runs in the second inning.[9] “It’s unbelievable. To win that game against that team, with the position we’re in, it’s just a snowball effect. It keeps getting bigger.”[10]

In the next day’s St. Louis Post-Dispatch, columnist Bernie Miklasz compared Pujols’ performance to another classic Cardinals-Cubs showdown: the “Ryne Sandberg game” of June 23, 1984, in which Sandberg went 5-for-6 with two home runs and seven RBIs, helping to spur the Cubs to the 1984 division championship.

“Citizens of Cardinals Nation: We have a reverse Ryno,” Miklasz wrote. “Two decades later, the St. Louis-Chicago rivalry has crowned a new comeback king – His Majesty Albert Pujols.”[11]

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[1] Dave van Dyke, “Rallying the best revenge,” Chicago Tribune, July 21, 2004: Page 4-1.

[2] Joe Strauss, “Cubs gum it up; Birds stick it to ’em,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 21, 2004: D1.

[3] Strauss.

[4] Strauss.

[5] Strauss.

[6] Paul Sullivan, “Losing it … again,” Chicago Tribune, July 21, 2004: 4-1.

[7] Sullivan.

[8] Strauss.

[9] van Dyke.

[10] Strauss.

[11] Bernie Miklasz, “In Sandberg’s yard, Pujols shows he’s second to none,” St. Louis Post-Dispatch, July 21, 2004: D1.

The post July 20, 2004: Albert Pujols goes 5-for-5 with three home runs in Cardinals’ comeback first appeared on STLRedbirds.com.