A Tribute to the 2004 St. Louis Cardinals...

[mtaystl03]

My brother had another battle with insomnia last night and he came up with this. He is a very talented writer with a love for St. Louis and it's sports teams...

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Let me preface this treatise with a preamble. This tribute will read very similarly to a eulogy in that I am assuming a postseason defeat in either the NLDS at the hands of the Los Angeles Dodgers or the NLCS. I am writing this because it is quite likely that in a matter of days Cardinal Nation will be reeling with shock and discontent that, frankly, is entirely unwarranted given the farce of a postseason system into which this once everlasting bastion of American recreation has descended.

Upon walking through the exit gates of Busch Stadium this evening, I was struck with remarkably ambivalent feelings about the situation at hand, including concurrent flushes of pride and enthusiasm at having witnessed the conclusion of the greatest season of baseball I will likely ever experience as well as mortification at the realization that 105 wins can suddenly turn to zero in the blink of an eye. Cardinal fans, we must not make the mistake of asserting, like the vast majority of baseball fans and pundits, that achievement is vested in a team's luck and streakiness over three weeks in October rather than the arduous grind of a six-month marathon. Whether this season ends on Friday night in Game 3 in Los Angeles or a few weeks from now with a ticker-tape parade down Grand Avenue, let us tip our hats and raise our glasses to the finest squad any of us has lived to see.

Here's to the team picked by everyone and his mother to finish third place in the NL Central.

Here's to the general manager who recognized that baseball teams are not trophy-case collections of high-priced free agents, but rather cohesive units with all of the right role-players (and a few bats like Pujols, Rolen, and Edmonds).

Here's to the same general manager who acquired a five-time Gold Glover, a perennial .300 hitter, and the final piece to an unmatched offensive spectacle...after the trading deadline.

Here's to the pitching rotation who proved once and for all that defense still matters in baseball.

Here's to a manager who, despite questionable in-game decisions, cultivated a clubhouse environment in which players are held accountable rather than the organization's television broadcasters.

Here's to the $100 million first-baseman who played most of the second half of the season with tremendous pain in his foot but remained relentless on the basepaths and ran out every single ground ball.

Here's to the most underrated shortstop in the game, who, despite relatively lackluster offensive output, tracked down grounders in the hole and up the middle
that most players at his position would hardly wave their gloves at.

Here's to the third baseman whose performance as cleanup hitter in the early-to-mid season singlehandedly lifted the club from a .500 club to a runaway division champion.

Here's to the unheralded play of the finest defensive catcher in the game.

Here's to the defensively dazzling center fielder whose reputation for maddening streakiness was forever altered with a four-month battering spree that lifted the middle of the lineup during occasional cold streaks.

Here's to the bullpen that rarely surrendered a lead and often kept the team competitive in games in which starters had long since been chased.

Here's to the bench, consisting of competitors who never questioned their roles or bemoaned their lack of playing time, always ready to provide the spark needed in the late innings or spell a regular at a moment's notice.

Here's to the best baseball fans in America, among the few who cheer a grounder to the right side to advance a runner to third with nobody out.

Here's to the team that handily surpassed the century mark in the win column despite fielding a lineup over the last three weeks that starkly resembled a preseason football squad.

Here's to the team that will remain in our memories no matter what the final outcome.

The 2004 St. Louis Cardinals, this Bud's for you.
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I second that emotion! GO CARDINALS!!!

[korme]

worst post ever

[mtaystl03]

You didn't even read it.

[korme]

i know

[Neuqua]

Sounds like my tribute to last year's Cubs team.

[FBPro]

Why?

[gottimd]

Sounds like Neuquas post about last year's Cubs team.

[mtaystl03]

The only difference is that we are going to win it all. My bro will be pleasantly suprised when we sweep our way 11-0 to become Champions of the World!

[gottimd]

As long as someone beats the Spankees, I don't care who wins.

[rkmsuf]

count sheep dude.

[mtaystl03]

Originally Posted by rkmsuf

count sheep dude.

Good one.

[MizzouRah]

I loved it!

Lets kick some Dodger butt!!


Todd

[mtaystl03]

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

I loved it!

Lets kick some Dodger butt!!


Todd

Finally! Thanks Todd! Go CARDS!!!

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by gottimd

As long as someone beats the Spankees, I don't care who wins.

That's about where I am. And get them out early, just so every Fox night game doesn't automatically have to be a Yankees game. We get it, NY is popular and from a big city. But how about putting someone else in the spotlight for just one game - is that too much to ask?

[Arles]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

That's about where I am. And get them out early, just so every Fox night game doesn't automatically have to be a Yankees game. We get it, NY is popular and from a big city. But how about putting someone else in the spotlight for just one game - is that too much to ask?

Yes.

In the meantime, I am stuck somehow finding a way to watch my Cards at 10 AM in the morning tomorrow. I guess it will be an online PBP day.

[JeeberD]

Go Astros, this season's Team of Destiny!

[Bomber]

aka the 2001 Seattle Mariners.

[mtaystl03]

Glad we aren't playing the hot Astros but the Dodgers are riding a high as well.

[Huckleberry]

I feel like Houston has the best shot in the NL of beating St. Louis.

Of course, there's that pesky Atlanta thing first.

[Cards4ever]

Loved the piece, Go CARDS!

[MizzouRah]

I'll be there....
You know I'll be there....
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yee-eeah
Just call my name.. and I'll be there...

Going tomorrow to watch Woody shutout those Dodgers. Odalis, the best lineup in the MLB is coming for you!


Todd

[Bomber]

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

Odalis, the best lineup in the MLB is coming for you!


Todd

I thought the Twins were starting Santana.

[Arles]

Originally Posted by Bomber

I thought the Twins were starting Santana.

No, he said best - not most overrated.