Category Archives: 2013 Season

Your Chance To Win “Purpose, Perseverance and Power Arms: The 2013 St. Louis Cardinals”

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While sunny images of Cardinals pitchers and catchers and Peter Bourjos definitely make it seem like the 2014 baseball season is actually here, the weather throughout too much of the country tells us winter is still upon us.

71dpIfiVoPL._SL1500_So what better way to make it through more cold, snow and ice than looking back on the wonder that was the 2013 pennant-winning Cardinals season?

The United Cardinal Bloggers have published our fourth annual season recap, “Purpose, Perseverance and Power Arms: The 2013 St. Louis Cardinals.”

And 2013 wasn’t just another year for the Cardinals — it was another deep run into October, all the way through the World Series as they stormed past Pittsburgh and Los Angeles to become National League champs.

From the first days in Jupiter to that last night in Boston and beyond, the United Cardinal Bloggers chronicled and analyzed St. Louis’ season and now are bringing that knowledge to you in this collection. From the season of Shelby Miller to the career of Chris Carpenter, from the MVP-worthy work of Yadier Molina and Matt Carpenter to a recap of each postseason series, the UCB prepares you for the upcoming season with a look back at the successful season that we don’t want to forget.

With a foreword from Will Leitch, senior editor at Sports on Earth, Cardinal bloggers from across the Internet present “Purpose, Perseverance and Power Arms” to give you a unique look at the team. It features a variety of work from 17 different bloggers, plus a capsule on every player who wore the Birds on the Bat in 2013. Plus you’ll get an overall look at what’s to come in 2014.

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Five Seat Warming Topics For The Cards

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It’s official folks.  Pitchers and catchers report to Jupiter, Florida in less than 2 weeks.  Theimageedit_1_2075168311 waiting is nearly over with and the anticipation is going to start boiling over.   Sometimes fans forget about the 45 days that happen before the real 162 game stretch begins.  This is where rosters start large and full of promise and end up shredded and cut to size.

With that goal in mind, I am going to take a look at five things that strike me as interesting about this 2013 Cardinals team.   There are a lot of things worth talking about but here I will give you five for now.

5.) Daniel Descalso has one very good agent.   One thing that struck me about John Mozeliak’s media session at the Winter Warmup was his icy feelings towards the Descalso camp.  Dirty Dan wanted 1.6 million and the Cards were offering 900,000 and sticking to it.  Yesterday, Descalso signed for 1.2 million, a price met by the Cards due to the fear of the first arbitration trial for the Cards in like….forever.  Was this a good deal?  For Descalso, it sure is.  He gets financial security but I am not sure where the Cards are going to justify him with the at bats and playing time.

Descalso isn’t fighting Pete Kozma for starts anymore.  He is fighting the future in Kolten Wong and the seasoned veteran edge of Mark Ellis.  He may have won at the bank but in the field not so much.  Ellis didn’t come here to play behind two younger players.  Descalso’s OPS(on base percentage plus slugging percentage) was downright horrible last year and his batting average(.238) wasn’t much better.  In a dog fight there isn’t much he offers to the team in reality over a defensive wizard like Kozma or a younger buck like Greg Garcia.

I like Descalso and appreciate his fine contributions over the years, but his defense has gotten worse and his bat doesn’t do enough to justify a spot.  His 1.2 million isn’t as bad as Ty Wiggington’s 2.5 last year but it still leaves me scratching my head.

4.) Hey Joe.  I am talking about California Wildfire fighting Joe Kelly.   The jack of all trades who happens to work out with pizza in his mouth(at least according to twitter) is coming into spring with his role undetermined.  It’s a good thing Kelly doesn’t let those kind of shenanigans affect his preparation.

In 2013, Kelly served as part time Porsche parked in the garage and part time excellent fill in starter.  He went from missing in action to taking Shelby Miller’s rotation spot in the playoffs(yeah that’s just happened).  Unlike 2 of his fellow rotation dogfight participants, Kelly has a strong mental makeup and doesn’t let his spring training status stop him from working hard.  If it were up to me, I would carve out a spot for Kelly in the rotation right away but since he is so versatile, I can’t be too sure.

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Tony La Russa: “The Relentless Grinder”

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Tony La Russa never wasted any words when speaking with the media during his career as a manager.   Whileimage (7) those words could be short ended and sparse at times, he is direct and carried a dry sense of humor about him.

When these media sessions go well, the player/coach treats them like a conversation and not an interrogation.   La Russa simply sat there and talked to us before he signed for the fans.  Here are are his thoughts on various subjects.

On Sunday, La Russa gave an intimate 25 minute conversation about his years in St. Louis, instant replay, and getting into the Hall of Fame.  It was one of those conversations that you didn’t want to see end and wouldn’t soon forget.

On getting into the Hall Of Fame-

“I had convinced myself it wasn’t going to happen.  This has been a surreal experience.  All the pieces they give you and the other guys.  It’s heavy stuff.  You get the call and they don’t tell you anything else.  They tell you to come down.   They tell you that your life will be different.  There’s some far out stuff that is impossible to comprehend.”

La Russa, even after making it into the Hall, isn’t comfortable being a part of it.

“I still think the Hall Of Fame is a place for players.  I always thought the managers in there were guys like Earl Weaver and Sparky Anderson, who lit the room up with baseball.   When we won the Championship in 2006, there was a feeling something was there, having won one in each league(like Sparky).  It may be hard to avoid it.   I am not comfortable with it and the biggest reason is I never thought good fortune was hall of fame criteria.  I have been lucky enough to be in places like Chicago, (Oakland), and St. Louis.  The only thing I want is to not disrespect Chicago or Oakland.  They will make their decision soon.”

One year after Stan Musial passed away, the legendary Cardinal still comes to Tony’s mind.

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Day 3 At The Winter Warm-Up

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photo (9)The final day saw a much more calming presence at the 2014 Winter Warmup.  The frenzy was dialed down but the passion was there.  Players like Peter Bourjos, Sam Freeman, Michael Wacha and Mike Matheny spent time with the media while fans flocked to them for signatures, small moments and a picture or two.

Part of my job here is separating the fan side of my personality from the professional side and being contingent on getting enough quotes from them for a good story and catching a glimpse into the way their minds work.  The balance isn’t always easy and one time I was totally swept up in fan zone mania with….Seth Maness.  After his session I asked him about his ability to quickly induce double play balls making the other bullpen guys jealous.  He may have been on the verge of telling me a huge secret when suddenly I wouldn’t shut up.   My rookie status stays quiet for only so long.

Here are some images, bits of info, quotes and other things from Day 3 of the Winter Warmup.

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Sam Freeman expects to come into camp ready to compete for a spot in the bullpen.  “Executing pitches one pitch at a time and letting everything fall into place.   Control everything I have control over and keep it as simple as possible.  The competition is something Freeman hasn’t thought about.  “Go out there and perform to the best of my abilities.”  Freeman does have things he wants to improve on.  “Putting batters away.  There were times where I had two strikes and let the batter back into the count.”  When asked if he lets the situation of moving between Memphis and St. Louis creep into his pitching, Freeman simply said no.  “I just let it fly man.  Every time.”

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Wacha is a confident kid and he gives that aura off every time he speaks, even though he appears very humble.  Has he sat back and surveyed the world wind experience? “Yes. It was a heck of a run and gets me itching for it to get going again.”  In his mind, the goal is to go out and be perfect, not giving up any hits or runs.  Does he feel the pressure to top last year? “I wouldn’t say that.  I can’t pay much attention to that.  I have my own expectations for myself.  The main goal is try not to do too much. Same mentality going into this year.”

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Winter Warm-Up Day 2 Sights and Sounds

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As the second day of Cards fan crazy mania came to a close, I found myself seeing this experience go by way too quickly.  This has been an amazing experience mixing it up with players, other writers and fans.   For Cardinals faithful, this is their comic con.   A chance to meet, greet and talk to a few of your favorite players.

In the media room, Sunday saw a flurry of players come across the microphone.   Matt Adams got things rolling, and he was followed by Shelby Miller, Shane Robinson, Joe Kelly, Matt Carpenter, Carlos Martinez, Jon Jay, Allen Craig, and Lance Lynn.   A surprise appearance by Tony La Russa gave way to the most candid and laid back discussion with the newly minted Hall of Fame manager I have ever seen.   All in all, a wonderful day.  Here are some bits to enjoy as we come up on the final day of festivities.

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What did 2013 do for Joe Kelly and what did he find out?  “That I can be pretty good. Gaining confidence.  It’s not a fluke.  I carried some swagger and confidence, and proved I can be better than my opponents.”

Are you expecting to be a starter in 2014?  “I haven’t really thought about it to be honest.   I can’t even remember pitching in the World Series.  I had to watch it recently.  It’s the same since I was 5 years old.  That feeling.  It’s hard for ordinary people to understand.  It’s not like I say I have earned anything.  I will go out there and do what I can.”

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20 Questions with Baby Bird Joe Donofrio

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Righty reliever Joe Donofrio pitched in 40 games for the Peoria Chiefs in 2013. He posted a 2.63 ERA in 68.1 innings of work — holding right handed hitters to a .194 average. He earned six wins and 5 saves on the year.

20 Questions – Joe Donofrio (@bagofritos)

Donofrio headshot_100208 (2)1. How did you get started in baseball?

My dad and I use to go to a lot of Orioles games when I was younger and that really got  me into the game of baseball.

2. Who was your biggest influence growing up?

My dad; we’d go out and play catch all the time.

3. When/how did you decide you wanted to pursue this career?

I had a breakout season my junior year in high school which gave me the opportunity to  play college baseball.

4. How did you react when your dream of playing pro baseball was first achieved?

I was in disbelief, I was an amazing feeling and also eye opening

5. What do you remember from your first professional game?   

I remember coming in and having the early game jitters, but once the pitching coach came out I settled down and just pitched. Continue reading →

Seth Maness, 2013 Mostly Unsung Hero

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With 38 different players taking the field for the St. Louis Cardinals over the course of 179 games from April 1 to Oct. 30, it was sometimes difficult to really highlight even the impressive seasons — like that of rookie Seth Maness.

Seth ManessFor pitchers, it’s usually the starter or the closer who get all the blogging attention and we certainly wrote plenty about Shelby Miller, Michael Wacha, Trevor Rosenthal and even Carlos Martinez. All justified, of course. And we did mention Maness, most often with the phrase “double play” used in the same sentence. But it wasn’t quite the same glowing praise — instead usually along the lines of “hey, he did it again!”

An article about a week ago in his hometown newspaper, The Pilot in Southern Pines, N.C., brought Maness to mind again. “‘One of Ours’ Makes the Big Time” chronicled Maness’s year, starting with his major league debut in Milwaukee on May 3 when he threw six pitches, and six strikes, to get three outs — all ground-outs, of course. After that:

The next night proved emblematic of what would become a hallmark of his rookie season. In the eighth inning of a tie game, with runners on first and second, the batter ground into a double play to end the inning. The Cards scored a run in the ninth, and Maness got his first Major League win in his second outing.

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Our Choices For Top Five 2013 Cardinals Stories

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This year will be known as yet another great one for the St. Louis Cardinals, with so much that has happened over the past 365 days — and with so much of it good. Given there are now just today and tomorrow left in 2013, it’s time to take a look back. And as part of the United Cardinal Bloggers’ December project, here are our top five Cardinals stories for 2013.

1. Cardinals win the National League pennant

12733927After finishing the regular season tied for the best record in the majors at 97-65 and winning the NL Central for the first time since 2009, the Cardinals didn’t stop once October arrived. They handled the Pirates in the division series and then headed to the NLCS for the third consecutive year, this time to face the Dodgers.

The Cards were victorious and clinched the pennant in six games, thanks especially to the incredible starting pitching from NLCS MVP Michael Wacha. So for the second time in three years, third time in eight years and 19th time overall, the Cardinals were National League champions and advanced to the World Series.

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Our Choices for the 2013 Cardinal Blogger Awards

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Every November the United Cardinal Bloggers vote for the best of the season just completed as well as the best of our peers. Here are our ballots for 2013.

20130831-161018.jpgCardinals Team Awards
Position Player of the Year
Chris: Yadier Molina

Yes, Matt Carpenter had an incredible, and unexpected, breakout season and earned a well-deserved fourth place finish in National League MVP voting. But Yadi is Yadi — on offense, on defense, as a leader. He’s intrinsic to the Cardinals success and one of the biggest reasons the 2013 team made it to Game Six of the World Series.

Tara: Matt Carpenter

This might seem hypocritical of me, considering the excessive lobbying I did for Yadier Molina for MVP, but it’s hard to beat the transformation Carpenter made this year. Not only did he learn a new position — and fare exceptionally well in it — but he also took over the leadoff role, carried much of the offensive weight, and went from a “probably not an every day guy” to a fourth place finish in the MVP voting. I’ve always seen something special in Matt, but this year exceeded even my lofty expectations!

Pitcher of the Year
Chris: Adam Wainwright

With a starter plus two eighth-inning-guys-turned-closers, it’s not necessarily an equal comparison to choose among these three options. But, in the end, results speak for themselves. Nineteen wins (regardless of your opinion on them, that’s not a total many pitchers reach in a season), 2.94 ERA, 219 strikeouts with only 35 walks, five complete games, two shutouts and 6.2 WAR speak pretty loudly — as does a complete game in the decisive Game Five of the NLDS after a dominant Game One start.

Tara: Trevor Rosenthal

There was nothing more impressive than how Rosey handled the postseason. His first appearance in the NLDS, I thought he was going to pass out on the mound! But (after that magical talk from Molina), he did more than just settle. He absolutely owned the 9th inning. The confidence, the accuracy, the power … he was phenomenal. It wasn’t just the posteason, though that’s most distinct in my memory. He started the season as a key piece of a bullpen in flux. Not knowing what his role was, or what it might morph into, he steadily improved, and, for the most part, consistently executed. What a year he had!

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A New Deal: Matheny Earns 3 More Years

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As usual, when the Cardinals announce a “baseball operations” press conference, the rumor mill starts churning.

Chris Carpenter’s retiring? Matt Carpenter’s extension? The finalization of the purchase of the triple A team? The first off season trade?

Wrong, wrong and wrong again. Well, sort of.

Chris Carpenter is retiring. But, that was the secondary announcement of the presser.

photoThe spotlight story was Mike Matheny, not Matt Carpenter, getting a three-year extension.

Bill DeWitt Jr. introduced the new deal by reiterating his belief that the best way to operate and maintain a franchise is to retain the “core pieces” of its success. Matheny, both he and John Mozeliak said, is an integral part of that success.

“Why now?” Mo said, anticipating the question before it was asked. The answer was simple: the organization knows now that they want Matheny for the long haul. There’s no sense in dragging out the inevitable or – more importantly – letting it be a distraction during the 2014 season. Continue reading →