2004 St. Louis Cardinals season
| 2004 St. Louis Cardinals | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2004 National League Champions NL Central champions | ||
| File:Saint Louis Cardinals Logo.png | ||
| Division | Central Division | |
| Ballpark | Busch Memorial Stadium | |
| City | St. Louis, Missouri | |
| Record | 105–57 (.644) | |
| Owners | William DeWitt, Jr. | |
| Managers | Tony La Russa | |
| Television | Fox Sports Midwest (Joe Buck, Dan McLaughlin, Al Hrabosky) KPLR (Ricky Horton, Bob Carpenter, Rich Gould) | |
| Radio | KMOX (Mike Shannon, Wayne Hagin, Bob Ramsey) | |
| ||
The St. Louis Cardinals 2004 season was the team's 123rd season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 113th season in the National League. The Cardinals went 105-57 during the season, the most of any Cardinals team since 1944, and the first Cardinal team to win 100 or more games since 1985, and won the National League Central division by 13 games over the NL Wild-Card Champion Houston Astros. In the playoffs the Cardinals defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers 3 games to 1 in the NLDS and the Astros 4 games to 3 in the NLCS to reach their first World Series since 1987. In the World Series the Cardinals faced the Boston Red Sox and were swept 4 games to 0. It was the final World Series played at Busch Memorial Stadium. Because the American League had home-field advantage as a result of winning the All-Star Game, Busch Memorial Stadium was where the Curse of the Bambino died.[1]
Catcher Mike Matheny, third baseman Scott Rolen, and outfielder Jim Edmonds won Gold Gloves this year.
Offseason
- December 2, 2003: Signed free agent pitcher Chris Carpenter.[2]
- December 13: Traded outfielder J. D. Drew and catcher Eli Marrero to the Atlanta Braves for pitchers Jason Marquis, Ray King, and Adam Wainwright.[3]
- January 10, 2004: Signed free agent pitcher Alan Benes.[4]
- February 12: Signed free agent John Mabry.[5]
Regular season
Opening Day starters
- Jim Edmonds
- Ray Lankford
- Mike Matheny
- Matt Morris
- Albert Pujols
- Edgar Rentería
- Scott Rolen
- Reggie Sanders
- Tony Womack[6]
Season standings
National League Central
| Team | W | L | Pct. | GB | Home | Road |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis Cardinals | 105 | 57 | .648 | — | 53–28 | 52–29 |
| Houston Astros | 92 | 70 | .568 | 13 | 48–33 | 44–37 |
| Chicago Cubs | 89 | 73 | .549 | 16 | 45–37 | 44–36 |
| Cincinnati Reds | 76 | 86 | .469 | 29 | 40–41 | 36–45 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 72 | 89 | .447 | 32½ | 39–41 | 33–48 |
| Milwaukee Brewers | 67 | 94 | .416 | 37½ | 36–45 | 31–49 |
Record vs. opponents
Source: [1] | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | AZ | ATL | CHC | CIN | COL | FLA | HOU | LA | MIL | MTL | NYM | PHI | PIT | SD | SF | STL | AL |
| Arizona | — | 2–4 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 6–13 | 3–4 | 2–4 | 3–16 | 3–3 | 0–6 | 3–4 | 1–5 | 2–4 | 7–12 | 5–14 | 1–5 | 6–12 |
| Atlanta | 4–2 | — | 3–3 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 14–5 | 3–3 | 4–3 | 4–2 | 15–4 | 12–7 | 10–9 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 4–3 | 2–4 | 8–10 |
| Chicago | 2–4 | 3–3 | — | 9–8 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 10–9 | 2–4 | 10–7 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 13–5 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 8–11 | 8–4 |
| Cincinnati | 3–3 | 4–2 | 8–9 | — | 3–3 | 4–2 | 6–11 | 4–2 | 10–8 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 9–10 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 5–14 | 5-7 |
| Colorado | 13–6 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 3–3 | — | 1–5 | 1–5 | 8–11 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 5–3 | 2–4 | 10–9 | 8–11 | 1–5 | 8–10 |
| Florida | 4–3 | 5–14 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 5–1 | — | 3–3 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 11–8 | 15–4 | 12–7 | 1–5 | 4–2 | 2–5 | 2–4 | 7–11 |
| Houston | 4–2 | 3–3 | 9–10 | 11–6 | 5–1 | 3-3 | — | 1–5 | 13–6 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 6–0 | 12–5 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 10–8 | 7–5 |
| Los Angeles | 16–3 | 3–4 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 11–8 | 3–3 | 5–1 | — | 3–3 | 4–3 | 3–3 | 1–5 | 6–0 | 10–9 | 10–9 | 2–4 | 10–8 |
| Milwaukee | 3–3 | 2–4 | 7–10 | 8–10 | 4–2 | 2–4 | 6–13 | 3–3 | — | 5–1 | 2–4 | 0–6 | 6–12 | 2–4 | 1–5 | 8–9 | 8–4 |
| Montreal | 6–0 | 4–15 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 8-11 | 4–2 | 3–4 | 1–5 | — | 9–10 | 7–12 | 4–2 | 1–6 | 1–5 | 3–3 | 7–11 |
| New York | 4–3 | 7–12 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 4–15 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 4–2 | 10–9 | — | 8–11 | 1–5 | 1–6 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 10–8 |
| Philadelphia | 5-1 | 9–10 | 3–3 | 3–3 | 3–5 | 7–12 | 0–6 | 5–1 | 6–0 | 12–7 | 11–8 | — | 3–3 | 5–1 | 2–4 | 3–3 | 9–9 |
| Pittsburgh | 4–2 | 2–4 | 5–13 | 10–9 | 4–2 | 5–1 | 5–12 | 0–6 | 12–6 | 2–4 | 5–1 | 3–3 | — | 3–3 | 5–1 | 5–12 | 2–10 |
| San Diego | 12–7 | 3–3 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 9–10 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 9–10 | 4–2 | 6–1 | 6–1 | 1–5 | 3–3 | — | 12–7 | 2–4 | 8–10 |
| San Francisco | 14–5 | 3–4 | 4–2 | 3–3 | 11–8 | 5–2 | 4–2 | 9–10 | 5–1 | 5–1 | 2–4 | 4–2 | 1–5 | 7–12 | — | 3–3 | 11–7 |
| St. Louis | 5–1 | 4–2 | 11–8 | 14–5 | 5–1 | 4-2 | 8–10 | 4–2 | 9–8 | 3–3 | 5–1 | 3–3 | 12–5 | 4–2 | 3–3 | — | 11–1 |
Transactions
- August 6: Traded Jason Burch (minors) and players to be named later to the Colorado Rockies for outfielder Larry Walker. The Cardinals sent pitchers Luís Martínez and Chris Narveson on August 11 to the Rockies to complete the trade.[7]
Roster
| 2004 St. Louis Cardinals | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roster | |||||||||
Pitchers
|
Catchers
Infielders
|
Outfielders
|
Manager
Coaches
| ||||||
Player stats
Batting
Starters by position
Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At Bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting Average; HR = Home Runs; RBI = Runs Batted In
| Pos | Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|
Other batters
Note: G = Games played; AB = At Bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting Average; HR = Home Runs; RBI = Runs Batted In
| Player | G | AB | H | Avg. | HR | RBI |
|---|
Pitching
Starting pitchers
| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|
Other pitchers
| Player | G | IP | W | L | ERA | SO |
|---|
Relief pitchers
| Player | G | W | L | SV | ERA | SO |
|---|
NLDS
St. Louis Cardinals vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
St. Louis wins series, 3-1
| Game | Score | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. Louis 8, Los Angeles 3 | October 5 |
| 2 | St. Louis 8, Los Angeles 3 | October 7 |
| 3 | Los Angeles 2, St. Louis 0 | October 9 |
| 4 | St. Louis 6, Los Angeles 2 | October 10 |
NLCS
Facing off against division rival Houston, the Cardinals took a 2–0 lead, then lost three straight in Houston. Coming home for Game 6, the Cardinals took a 4–3 lead into the 9th inning, but Houston tied it up. Jim Edmonds hit a walk-off homer in the bottom of the 12th to win the game. The next night, Albert Pujols helped St. Louis win Game 7 to clinch the series with a game tying hit. Scott Rolen brought him home on a two-run home run. Albert Pujols was named the series MVP.
| Game | Score | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. Louis 10, Houston 7 | October 13 |
| 2 | St. Louis 6, Houston 4 | October 14 |
| 3 | Houston 5, St. Louis 2 | October 16 |
| 4 | Houston 6, St. Louis 5 | October 17 |
| 5 | Houston 3, St. Louis 0 | October 18 |
| 6 | St. Louis 6, Houston 4 | October 20 |
| 7 | St. Louis 5, Houston 2 | October 21 |
World Series
When the Cardinals reached the World Series, Tony La Russa became the sixth manager to win pennants in both leagues, following Joe McCarthy, Yogi Berra, Alvin Dark, and the managers in the 1984 World Series, Sparky Anderson and Dick Williams.[8] La Russa had managed the Oakland Athletics to three straight pennants between 1988 and 1990 and winning the 1989 World Series.[8] La Russa would try to join Anderson as the only men to have managed teams to World Series championships in both leagues.[8] La Russa wore number 10 in tribute to Anderson (who wore 10 while manager of the Cincinnati Reds) and to indicate he was trying to win the team's tenth championship.[9]
The Cardinals met a what was a potent Red Sox squad fresh off four straight victories over the Yankees following an 0–3 deficit in the ALCS. A comeback in this fashion in any North American major sports leagues had previously occurred only in the NHL. This was the third time the two teams have faced each other in the Fall Classic, with the Cardinals winning the previous two in 1946 and 1967. The Cardinals were again without a key player for the World Series: ace pitcher Chris Carpenter, who, after going 15–5, tweaked his shoulder in September and missed the entire post-season. The Cardinals were swept by the Red Sox in four games and never had a lead throughout the series. Pujols, Scott Rolen, and Jim Edmonds, the normally fearsome 3-4-5 hitters for the Cardinals, were 6-for-45 with 1 RBI.
| Game | Score | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston 11, St. Louis 9 | October 23 |
| 2 | Boston 6, St. Louis 2 | October 24 |
| 3 | Boston 4, St. Louis 1 | October 26 |
| 4 | Boston 3, St. Louis 0 | October 27 |
Awards and Honors
- Pujols, Rolen, and Edmonds finished third, fourth and fifth in the MVP voting,[10] eliciting the nickname MV3.[11]
- La Russa finished second in the NL Manager of the Year voting.[10]
NL Comeback Player of the Year
- Albert Pujols[14]
Farm system
LEAGUE CO-CHAMPIONS: Tennessee[15][16]
References
- ^ Shaughnessy, Dan (2005). Reversing the Curse. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 0-618-51748-0.
- ^ http://www.baseball-reference.com/c/carpech01.shtml
- ^ J. D. Drew Statistics Baseball-Reference.com
- ^ http://www.baseball-reference.com/b/benesal01.shtml
- ^ John Mabry Statistics Baseball-Reference.com
- ^ 2004 St. Louis Cardinals Roster by Baseball Almanac
- ^ Larry Walker Statistics Baseball-Reference.com
- ^ a b c Powers, John (October 23, 2004). "La Russa Keeping Options Open". Boston Globe. p. E7.
- ^ Leach, Matthew (October 28, 2006). "Cards secure 10th World Series title". MLB.com. stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com. Archived from the original on February 9, 2011. Retrieved February 21, 2011.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ a b "Baseball-Reference 2004 Season Award Index". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ Goold, Derrick (December 24, 2011). "Cardinals recast the 'MV3'". stltoday.com. Retrieved June 3, 2012.
- ^ a b c "Baseball-Reference NL Gold Glove Award Winners". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ a b "Baseball-Reference NL Silver Slugger Award Winners". Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ "2004 League Championship Series – STL vs. HOU". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 3, 2009.
- ^ Johnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, ed., The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, 3rd edition. Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America, 2007
- ^ Baseball America 2005 Annual Directory