St. Louis Cardinals - The Bush Era (2000-2009)

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2000

Decade

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105

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100

Titles:

Top Cardinals Players of the Twenty Oughts

2000 - Lost NLCS to Mets

2001 - Lost LDS to Arizona

Pitchers:

2002 - Lost NLCS to Giants

Jason Isringhausen (6.78) - 59

2004 - Lost World Series to Boston

Matt Morris (11.33) - 53

2005 -Lost NLCS to Houston

Chris Carpenter (21.01) - 42

2006 -World Champs beat Detroit

Adam Wainwright (12.82) - 32

2009 - Lost NLDS to Dodgers

Darryl Kyle (9.63) - 25

Jeff Suppan (3.83) - 25

Ballpark:

Woody Williams (9.79) - 24

Busch Stadium

Jason Marquis (1.41) - 23

Braden Looper (2.52) - 18

Team Name:

Ryan Franklin (4.48) - 14

Cardinals

Joel Pineiro (2.89) - 13

Andy Benes (-0.06) - 9

Owners:

Mark Mulder (-0.11) - 9

William O. DeWitt Jr. (2000-2009 )

Pat Hentgen (1.66) - 8

Steve Kline (5.41) - 6

General Managers:

Rick Ankiel (2.61) - 4

Walt Jocketty (2000-2007 )

Bud Smith (-0.44) - 1

John Mozeliak (2007-2009)

Catchers:

Managers:

Yadier Molina (8.22) - 31

Tony LaRussa (2000-2009 )

Mike Matheny (1.66) - 26

Hall of Famers:

First Basemen:

Scott Rolen

Albert Pujols (73.82) - 141

Albert Pujols (Pending)

Tino Martinez (2.24) - 13

Adam Wainwright (Pending)

Mark McGwire (4.5) - 7

Mark McGwire (Pending)

Second Basemen:

Rookie of the Year:

Fernando Vina (5.7) - 15

Albert Pujols (2001)

Eli Marrero (2.93) - 10

Mark Grudzielanek (4.12) - 6

MVP

Albert Pujols (2005)

ShortStop:

Albert Pujols (2008)

Edgar Renteria (15.51) - 45

Albert Pujols (2009)

David Eckstein (5.37) - 17

Brendan Ryan (6.09) - 12

No Hitters:

Bud Smith (2001)

Third Base:

Scott Rolen (25.9) - 44

Cy Young:

Placido Polanco (7.69) - 13

Chris Carpenter (2005)

Troy Glaus (4.22) - 7

Notable Events:

Outfield:

Jim Edmonds (37.92) - 96

2000 - Of all the big decades the Cardinals have had in their history,

JD Drew (14.52) - 20

The Two Thousand Oughts tops them all. Six first place finishes and

Ryan Ludwick (8.28) - 23

two world series titles. It establishes the Jockety / LaRussa

Rick Ankiel (4.23) - 13

management team as one of the best in baseball history.

Reggie Sanders (3.42) - 13

Chirs Duncan (2.81) - 10

2000 - St. Louis obtains star centerfielder Jim Edmonds, 30, from the

So Taguchi (2.49) - 10

Angels in a steal of a trade for Adam Kennedy and Kent Bottenfield

Ray Lankford (1.53) - 10

2000 - The Cards gain twenty games in the standings to win the

Notable Events:

Division. They beat the Braves in the NLDS, but lose to the Mets in

the NLCS. The 2000 team is not the one that will be winning titles

2004 - Twenty One year old catcher Yadier Molina comes up to the

later in the decade. They're lead by a bunch of stars with a lot of

Cards. He was a fourth round pick in 2000. Yadier will establish

mileage already on them:

himself as the best defensive catcher in the game.

□ First Baseman Mark McGwire, 36

□ Second Baseman Fernando Vina, 32

2004 - St. Louis gains twenty games in the standings to win 105.

□ Leftfielder Ray Lankford, 33

They are an elite team and beat the Dodgers in the NLDS and the

□ Righthander Pat Hentgen, 32

Astros in the NLCS before getting swept by the Red Sox in the

□ Righthander Andy Benes, 32

World Series. The Cards deserved a better fate. They were led by

an outstanding offense featuring Albert Pujols (46-123-.331), Scott Rolen

Younger 2000 roster players who will not play for the Cards other title runs:

(34-124-.314) and Jim Edmonds (42-111-301). They also had a

□ Righthander Darryl Kile, 31 (tragically died in 2002)

terrific pitching staff led by Matt Morris, Jeff Suppan, Jason Marquis,

□ Righthander Garrett Stephenson, 28 TJ Surgery in 2001 - finished

and Chris Carpenter all of whom won either fifteen or sixteen games

□ Lefthander Rick Ankiel, 20. Lost his control 2001

plus Woody Williams and Jason Isringhausen (47 saves)

□ Third Baseman Fernando Tatis, 25 traded in 2001

□ Third Baseman Placido Polanco, 24 traded in 2003

2005 - The Cards add ace lefthander Mark Mulder, 27, to their already

□ Rightfielder JD Drew, 24 free agent in 2004

stacked rotation. He's not needed to boost the regular season so

much as to give the Cards a lights out starter in the post season,

Players on the 2000 roster who were still playing for the Cardinals'

something they felt they were missing after the 2004 sweep by Boston.

subsequent title runs:

Mulder wins 16 in 2005, but then blows out his arm and is finished

□ Shortstop Edgar Renteria, 23

as an effective big league pitcher.

□ Centerfielder Jim Edmonds, 30

□ Righthander Matt Morris, 25

2005 - St. Louis wins 100 games again to win the Division. They sweep

the Padres in the NLDS but lose to Houston in the NLCS. Frustrating.

2001 - Twenty Two year old rookie Albert Pujols, who was a 13th

It's the same core as 2004 plus Mulder.

round pick in the 1999 draft, hits 37 homers with 130 RBI and bats .329

It only gets better from here for Albert.

2006 - The Cardinals win the Division with a paltry 83 wins, a seventeen

game drop from 2005. So, of course, they go on to beat the Padres

2001 - The Cards finish second but make the wild card. They lose to

in the NLDS, the Mets in the NLCS and the Tigers in the World Series.

Arizona in the ALDS

Go figure.

2002 - Twenty nine year old righthanded relief ace Jason Isringhausen

2006 - The Redbirds inconsistent pitching was the cause of their decline

is signed as a free agent. He will become a saves machine for the

during the regular season, but it was the pitching, lead by Chris

next eight years.

Carpenter, Jeff Suppan and retread-picked-off-the-scrap-heap during

the regular season Jeff Weaver who led the Cards to the title in

2002 - St. Louis deals Placido Polanco to the Phillies in an exchange

the post season.

of third baemen for Scott Rolen, 27, who was in the midst of a salary

dispute with the Phillies. This was a quality for quality deal

2007 - Twenty Five year old Adam Wainwright joins the rotation. He

was a first round pick in the 2000 draft by the Braves and joined the

2002 - The Redbirds win the Division title and then beat Arizona in the

Cards in a deal for JD Drew in 2004. Adam will go on to be a mainstay

ALDS. They lose to the Giants in the NLCS

in the Cards rotation well into the next decade

2004 - Twenty nine year old righthander Chris Carpenter is signed

2009 - St. Louis obtains slugging outfielder Matt Holliday from the A's

as a free agent. He will be a mainstay of the St. Louis rotation thru

at the trade deadline for three minor leaguers. He is twenty nine.

early in the next decade.

2009 - The Cards win the Division but lose to LA in the NLDS