KRT CampusThe 2004 campaign was a dream season for the St. Louis Cardinals and their fans. The team coasted through the regular season, finishing with an MLB-high 105 victories, winning their division by 13 games. The National League playoffs were no different as they manhandled the Los Angeles Dodgers and squeaked by the Houston Astros, thanks to clutch late-inning hits by Albert Pujols, Scott Rolen, and Jim Edmonds. But when their marathon journey reached the World Series- the Cardinals’ first appearance since 1987-they fell flat on their faces. Their 4-0 series annihilation at the hands of the Boston Red Sox left a dark stain of embarrassment on their season.
While any trip to the World Series should be considered a success, the manner in which the Cardinals were dispatched proved that despite their tremendous performance in the regular season, they clearly were not the best team in baseball. This year, despite a similarly dominant regular season that is nearing a close (the Cardinals lead the majors in wins with 85 and lead their division by 14 games), why should the end result be any different from last year? With the Red Sox, New York Yankees, or a much-improved Chicago White Sox team most likely awaiting them in the World Series, what makes the 2005 Cardinals a more formidable foe than in 2004?
The key ingredient to winning the World Series is starting pitching at the top of the rotation. Last year it was Curt Schilling and Pedro Martinez for the Red Sox. In 2003, Josh Beckett was nearly unhittable in the playoffs, carrying the Marlins to the crown. In 2001, the Diamondbacks relied on Randy Johnson and the aforementioned Schilling (Note: there is no logical explanation for the Anaheim Angels winning the World Series in 2002. It is still a mystery). In 2004, the Cardinals starting pitching lineup had depth but lacked the true No. 1 and No. 2-starter slots that these past champions have had. Woody Williams, who had an injury-plagued season, and Matt Morris served as make-shift aces and got exposed when the team’s standout bats quieted in the World Series.
In a best-of-seven game series, two dominant starting pitchers can take over, starting as many as five of the seven games. Right now, there is no better 1-2 punch in baseball than what the Cardinals own: starting pitchers Chris Carpenter and Mark Mulder. After finishing last year with 15 wins but an extended stay on the disabled list that prevented him from pitching in the playoffs, Carpenter has returned with a vengeance this season. At 19-4 and with an ERA of 2.29, he is well on his way to winning the National League Cy Young Award.
Mulder has yet to prove himself in the playoffs, but he’s been the best pitcher in baseball over the course of the 2005 season. There’s no reason to assume he’ll stop now. Mulder, acquired from the Oakland Athletics in the off-season, is 15-6 with a 3.76 ERA and boasts a sensational .667 career winning percentage. Even though his Oakland teams could never manage to win a playoff series, it is through no fault of Mulder’s: he holds a 2.25 ERA in four career playoff starts. Additionally, the healthy return of Morris has given the team a very reliable No. 3 starter. The only team that can match up with this playoff rotation is the Houston Astros with Roger Clemens, Andy Pettite, and Roy Oswalt. However, their hitting has been so anemic that they probably won’t even make the playoffs.
The 2005 Cardinals have also proven to be a resilient squad, plugging up the holes made by injuries to Rolen and Larry Walker with talented backups in So Taguchi and Abraham Nunez, who are both hitting a shade under .300. The off-season losses of Edgar Renteria and Tony Womack to free-agency have been filled adequately by David Eckstein and Mark Grudzielanek.
Without All-Star Rolen in the lineup this post-season, the team’s hitting will not be as formidable as in 2004, but it should not matter. With Carpenter and Mulder on the mound, St. Louis fans should feel at ease come October, when in Busch Stadium’s final year, the Cardinals will dissipate all memories of their 2004 World Series performance, and bring home the championship trophy for the 10th time in team history.